LG G3 Stylus: the phone that shouldn’t have been made!!!!!......

Alongside the LG G Watch R, LG has also pulled the wraps of its LG G3 Stylus at IFA 2014.On the outside it looks just like the current flagship LG G3, but it has a stylus too. “Fantastic,” I hear you say, “a new competitor for the Galaxy Note 4.” Not so fast. Anyone using the G3 Stylus with the Note 4 in mind is in for a rude awakening. The lofty heights achieved by the Note 4 are nowhere in sight for the G3 Stylus. Did LG seriously miss a trick here or is there more to the story?

The LG G3 Stylus is a real disappointment. © ANDROIDPIT

Is the G3 Stylus meant to be a Note 4 competitor?

Not at all. One look at the specs sheet or one minute spent with the G3 Stylus clearly demonstrates it is not in anything resembling the same class as the Note 4. Simply giving a large-screened device a stylus does not a Note make. But it’s pretty obvious that LG never intended the G3 Stylus to be a Note 4 competitor.
LG obviously has a strong enough foundation in the LG G3 and the technical know-how to produce a flagship stylus-supported device, so if the G3 Stylus was truly meant to challenge the Note 4 then there’s no way LG would have released such a weak offering. No, there is clearly a different strategy at hand here.

The G3 Stylus looks like a G3. With a stylus. But it's bad, very bad. © ANDROIDPIT

Mid-range market space

If we accept the fact that no one can compete with Samsung in the top-end phablet space then the next obvious opportunity is the mid-range phablet space, where the only decent options are the Asus Fonepad and Samsung’s own Note Neo range.
Even with the Note name, the Note 3 Neo, is pretty unremarkable and Asus’ offering has a long way to go too. It makes sense for LG to try to carve out a niche in the mid-range stylus-supported phone market because it’s seriously wide open and the best place to produce a competitive device and build a following with which to equip itself for a future challenge to the Note down the track.

Don't be fooled: this isn't unique to the G3 Stylus. You get the same pen tip software on the G3. © ANDROIDPIT

Is the G3 Stylus up to the task?

The G3 Stylus doesn't even suffer from what you’d expect from a first-gen attempt in a new category because at least in those cases an attempt has been made to succeed. Not only is the integration of the stylus in the G3 Stylus nowhere near as sophisticated at the S Pen, it is actually non-existent. The G3 Stylus doesn’t offer anything in the way of unique or useful software integration. The stylus is simply there. It's an incredibly lazy offering.
Furthermore, LG chose to seriously water down the specs sheet of the G3 in the G3 Stylus. Anyone thinking they’re getting a flagship with an additional stylus will be sadly disappointed, even if they could make their peace with not having any software functionality to make sense of the stylus' existence.
The G3 Stylus doesn’t deserve the good name the G3 has so rightfully earned for itself. While it’s fine to make a mid-range stylus device, LG shouldn’t have put the G3’s name on it. It does nothing positive for the G3 brand at all and brings absolutely nothing useful to the consumer.

The stylus slots neatly into the G3's body. Which is where it should stay. © ANDROIDPIT

What’s wrong with the G3 Stylus?

Everything. From doing damage to the G3 brand to non-existent stylus functionality to a seriously weakened specs sheet, the G3 Stylus should not have been made. The stylus itself is also quite awful: a simple metal stick with a fat rubber tip. Any after-market stylus for 10 bucks would serve the purpose as well.
Where Samsung took a winning high-end recipe in the Note series and dropped the specs and the price to produce a mid-range version with very similar functionality in the Note 3 Neo, LG seem to have taken the opposite approach: produce a watered down mid-range flagship and poke a hole in it for a pen. That does nothing. And is super laggy.

Technical specifications

	G3 Stylus
System	Android 4.4.2 KitKat
Display	5.5-inch IPS LCD (960 x 540 pixels, 200 ppi)
Camera	13 MP (rear), 1.3 MP (front-facing)
Battery	3,000 mAh
Processor	Quad-core (unnamed), 1.3 GHz
RAM	1 GB
Internal Memory	8 GB
Extras	Stylus

A missed opportunity

We are big fans of the LG G3 and its simple, useful and cleaned up interface. We like a lot of the software features on the G3, including QMemo+. Adding a stylus to this winning mix makes sense, but something got lost in translation.
While I think it is clear no one is going to come out with a first-gen stylus supported phablet that comes anywhere near challenging the Note 4 right off the bat, LG could have done things a lot, lot better. Even challenging the Note 3 Neo would have required – at the very least – some significant software functions specifically for the stylus.
Since the G2 we’ve been paying much closer attention to LG’s innovative approach to smartphones. But the G3 Stylus throws that track record from the straight and narrow in a terrible way. From the G2 to the G3 LG managed to soar to the top of our list of best Android phones this year, but the G3 Stylus does that legacy no favors. I don’t know if I’d prefer to see the G3 Stylus done right, or just have it die a natural death.
What do you think of the G3 Stylus? Would you use a stylus with your phone?

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Words Best 5 "unknown" smartphones of 2014!!!!!

We all know Samsung, Motorola, HTC and other "mainstream" brands, but today we will talk about some of best alternatives to the major OEMs. The top 5 unknown smartphones list we've pulled together may have an entry or two you know, but chances are you've never heard of most of them. If you've had it with the empty promises of the big boys, then why not take a chance on a newcomer? Here are the five best unknown Androids of 2014.

The Oppo Find 7 is pretty well known amongst tech circles, but not elsewhere. © ANDROIDPIT

Energy Sistem: Energy Phone Pro Qi

Some of you may know Energy Sistem for their MP3 players, speakers or small appliances, but I doubt many of you know they also make smartphones. Energy Sistem designs its products in Spain, but manufactures them in China.

Energy Sistem has managed to combine a metal frame with Qi wireless charging. / © Energy Sistem

For an unknown smartphone, the Pro Qi has pretty enviable hardware: 1.7 GHz octa-core ARM Cortex A7 processor, Mali-450 GPU, 5-inch Full HD IPS LCD, partial aluminum frame, 32 GB of storage, 2 GB of RAM, 13 MP main camera and 5 MP front-facing camera, dual-SIM and Qi wireless charging. If that hasn't caught your attention then perhaps the price will: 275 EUR on the Energy Sistem website. Of course, take a look at the bands first if you're thinking about buying one.

Coolpad: Magview 4

It's probably no surprise that there's an unknown Chinese device on this list. And while it may look suspiciously like another flagship smartphone we all know oh so well, there's some pretty good performance in this Galaxy Note 3 lookalike. Coolpad has earned the third spot on the podium in sales in China and a lot of that is due to top performance.

Is this the Galaxy Note 3 or the Coolpad Magview 4? / © Coolpad

The Coolpad Magview 4 is a phablet with a 5.9-inch Full HD screen, backed up by a Tegra 4 processor clocked at 1.8 GHz guaranteeing sufficient power. The Magview 4 also packs 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of on-board storage and an aluminum chassis. The icing on the cake, however, is the 13 MP rear camera. Unfortunately for the Magview 4 though, the price of around 490 EUR (converted), on the Coolpad website, is a bit too high for a device running Android 4.2.

Micromax: Canvas Knight

In 2013, the Indian company Micromax managed to ensure that only Samsung beat them on handset sales in India last quarter and managed to push Apple into third spot in the same quarter for tablet sales. Micromax is now trying to expand their budget empire into Europe through Russia and Romania.

Micromax is seriously topping the charts in sales volume. © TechinAsia

The Canvas Knight packs a Mediatek octa-core processor clocked at 2 GHz with a 5-inch Full HD display. The Canvas Knight also houses a 16 MP rear camera that offers good results, together with an impressive 8 MP front-facing camera. Sadly it also runs on Android 4.2.2, but this time the price is more affordable: about 260 EUR on Micromax's website.

Oppo: Find 7

OK, we know you know all about Oppo. Unless you don't. Strangely the Oppo offshoot OnePlus seems to be much more well known abroad than Oppo, despite bringing out several impressive devices. The Oppo Find 7 is its current flagship device and is also probably the most "famous" on this list.

Despite the Find 7's serious credentials, Oppo is still relatively unknown. © Oppo

The Find 7 is a very stylish device with a quad-core Snapdragon 801 running at 2.5 GHz, Adreno 33 GPU, 3 GB of RAM, 13 MP camera with 4K video and an impressive 3,000 mAh removable battery and SD card slot. Powered either by the Android 4.3-based Color OS or a custom build of CyanogenMod, the Oppo Find 7 has a Full HD version and a QHD version: the Find 7a. The Find 7 costs 479 EUR via Oppo's website.

• Check our Oppo Find 7 vs OnePlus One specs comparison.

Karbonn: Titanium Octane Plus

The prize for the coolest bunch of words to get together to form a smartphone name has to go to this bad boy: the Karbonn Titanium Octane Plus. I feel like I need a fireproof suit and helmet just to talk about it. Last year they sold about 10% of all smartphones in India, which is not bad for a phone I've never heard of from a manufacturer I've barely paid attention to.

Another Samsung lookalike, the Karbonn Titanium Octane Plus has a great name at least. © TechinAsia

This smartphone features a classic MediaTek octa-core processor ticking away at 1.7 GHz with Mali-450 GPU and 2 GB of RAM. Add a 16 MP rear camera, a front-facing 8 MP shooter, Android 4.4.2, 16 GB of internal storage and microSD expansion and you're looking at about 200 EUR via Karbonn Mobile's website. As with some other spec sheet-friendly low-cost devices, you can't believe everything you see on a specs table, but phones like this prove that good components don't cost the earth.

These are the top 5 alternative Android smartphones around. While some are a little pricey and others don't quite hold up to what their specs promise, if you wanted what you already know you wouldn't have read this far. If you can think of any other little-known devices worth our attention, please let us know in the comments!

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Bangalink Free Net pc with simple server (2014-09-05)

Bangalink Free Net with simple server 2014-09-05

Modem settings:

 

***connect your modem through apn 'Blwap'

Simple Server:

Now Download the simple server and keep it open(Background)...

Link:Download

 Browser and Idm  Settings:

**Connect your internet browsers and Idm with 

 

Http proxy:127.0.0.1

Port:8080

Done..... :)

Now use the free net.....Get 3g speed by activing 3g packs...Thank you.

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CyanogenMod 11 review:king of the custom ROMs!!!!!?????

In terms of availability for different devices, both old and new, the quality of CyanogenMod is unmatched. We take a look at CyanogenMod 11 more in-depth and compare it to other popular ROMs such as SlimKat, AOKP, and other forked versions of AOSP. 

CyanogenMod is one of the best custom ROMs available on the market.  / © ANDROIDPIT

The success of all open source projects stands and falls based on the quality of the community that stands behind them. CyanogenMod has done some amazing work in regards to gaining a ton of momentum from their community of developers and is light years ahead of the their closest competitor.
The project first was given life in September 2008 and was introduced for the HTC Dream. Since then, it has taken on a life of its own and is currently installed on over 12 million active devices. Furthermore, their latest CyanogenMod stable release, M9, is currently available for over 40 different devices from different manufacturers. Monthly, stable updates (M snapshots) keep the custom ROM updated with the latest and the greatest and the team currently supports four major and active versions: CyanogenMod 10 (Android 4.1), 10.1 (Android 4.2), 10.2 (Android 4.3), and 11 (Android 4.4).

The Trebuchet Launcher (left) is feature poor and saves resources. The lock screen (right) can give you more shortcuts. / © ANDROIDPIT

The beginning of custom ROMs

CyanogenMod is the original founder of the theme engine found in many custom ROMs. With the ability to modify the UI of your Android device, the theme engine brought a new level of simplicity to customization. Whether customizing the navigation bar, start up animation, icon package, fonts, or sounds, everything can be modified by downloading theme packages directly from the Google Play Store.

The Notifications shade (left) can provide a ton of options. If you need more control, you can also customize the Quick Settings (right). / © ANDROIDPIT

Apart from that, CyanogenMod offers some specialty features built right in including pop-up notifications and extended desktop. A testament to how popular these features are is their inclusion in other custom ROMs, such as Paranoid Android and AOKP.
One of the bigger features that was specific to CyanogenMod but has since been ditched from official CM releases is the PIE Mode. Popular in SlimKat, AOKP, and Paranoid Android, the CM team dropped PIE mode once Android introduced the full screen mode and made more real estate available for the display.

Hidden features

CyanogenMod offers ways to optimize Android in different sorts of places which are integrated right into the regular settings and are where you would expect them to be. This is a contrast to AOKP and SlimKat which has specific areas for the custom ROM settings and are separated from the regular settings. As well, CyanogenMod also has a search function built straight into the settings, so you can pinpoint exactly what you’re searching for. This currently isn’t available for stock Android, but is expected to show up in Android L.

The Theme Engine brings a bunch of customization options for your device. You can also have a 6 x 6 unlock pattern for your secufirty. / © ANDROIDPIT

Below is a list of some of the CyanogenMod features that you’ll discover throughout the settings.

• USB Tethering
• Trebuchet Launcher
• Screen lock with 6x6 patterns
• Up to four lock screen applications
• Designs (Theme Engine)
• Battery level in percent
• Open the Quick Settings by dragging them from one of the upper corners
• Change tiles the quick settings
• DSP Manager
• Battery light
• Color Calibration
• Special functions for on / off and volume button / n
• Profiles
• Privacy Policy for App permissions and unwanted callers
• Performance
• Super User

You can search through your settings to find what you need quickly. As well, if you have a LED device, you'll have options to calibrate your display to your liking. / © ANDROIDPIT

The DSP Manager improves the output of your audio based on different secnarios. As well, the Profile Manager allows you to control what connections and sounds your device make based on your location. / © ANDROIDPIT

Additional functions

Some more additional functions that you’ll find built into CyanogenMod 11 include the DSP Manager for optimizing the sound output on your device and profile management. The DSP Manager stores all your audio presets and equalizers for different equipment (headphones, phone speakers, Bluetooth devices, etc). The profile manager allows you to modify the volume controls on your smartphone based on which wireless networks or Bluetooth devices you’re currently connected to.

Conclusion: a custom ROM for all Android devices

The real reason that CyanogenMod has become so beloved in the modding community is mainly due to their support of the community and keeping older devices up to date with their latest releases. While manufacturers might abandon a device after their “update period” has expired, CyanogenMod has kept a ton of older devices on par with the latest Android releases. Furthermore, with their monthly M updates, they continually keep their system stable and secure.
Several times in the past, CyanogenMod has been at the forefront of patching security issues and bug fixes ahead of manufacturers and even Google. The combination of the a tenacious community that is avid at providing continual updates continues to be CyanogenMod’s biggest strength. It is the largest alternative to stock Android or manufacturer UIs. Thanks to the inclusions of an easy to use installer that is available, the technological know-how required to install the custom ROM is at an all-time low and you don’t have too much tech savviness in order to try it out for yourself.

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Samsung Galaxy Note Edge:release date, price, specs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge:release date, price, specs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Galaxy Note Edge is Samsung’s latest innovation and surprise device for the IFA 2014: a phablet similar in many ways to the Galaxy Note 4, except that one side of the display is sloped, providing it with a second display with a whole load of functions and features, all of which you can discover in our Galaxy Note Edge review. Here are all the facts you need to know about Galaxy Note Edge release date, price, specs and more.

All you need to know about Galaxy Note Edge price, release date, and specs. / © ANDROIDPIT

Galaxy Note Edge release date

Though we aren’t 100% sure of where the Galaxy Note Edge will be made available on a global scale, all four major carriers in the USA, that being AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon, will carry the curved phablet. There’s also a list of various carriers for different countries (including model number) showing which devices are currently being tested. This likely means that these regions and carriers will get the Galaxy Note Edge, though it isn’t for sure yet.

Galaxy Note Edge price

At the moment, there is no price for the Galaxy Note Edge, but you can bet that with that curved display, it won’t be cheap. The Galaxy Note 4 is estimated to go for 699 euros, which is a suggested market price Samsung was able to provide, and my guess is that the Note Edge will be more expensive. We’ll keep you posted.

The Note Edge's curved display shows different apps and features depending on what you are doing with your phone./ © ANDROIDPIT

Galaxy Note Edge specs

The specs on the Galaxy Note Edge are almost identical to that of the Galaxy Note 4, albeit a smaller battery.

	Samsung Galaxy Note Edge
System	Android 4.4.4, TouchWiz
Display	5.6 inch, Quad-HD (2,560 x 1,440 + 160 Pixel), 515 ppi
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 805, Quad-Core, 2.7 GHz
RAM	3 GB
Internal storage	32/64 GB (+ microSD up to 64 GB)
Connectivity	LTE, HSPA+, WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, USB 2.0, MHL 3.0
Extras	S Pen, heart rate monitor, Fingerprint, Infrared sensor, barometer, UV Sensor
Camera	16 MP, OIS (main camera), 3.7 MP, f/1.9, 90°-wide angle (front camera)
Battery	3,000 mAh
Dimensions	151.3 x 82.4 x 8.3 mm
Weight	174 g
Price/Availability	n.a./October 2014

Galaxy Note Edge review

We were able to do a Galaxy Note Edge hands on review before the Samsung Unpacked event got underway, where we were likely one of the very first to try out the curved display. And we like it, we really like it!
What do you think of the Galaxy Note Edge thus far? Something you would like to purchase?

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Sony Xperia Z3 release date, news, specs, and rumors [updated: new images!].....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sony’s next flagship smartphone, the Xperia Z3, is on the horizon. Having eschewed the “one flagship per year” approach adopted by most of the big manufacturers, Sony are going to announce the new device at the IFA 2014 conference in Berlin this evening. Let's have a look at what else we know about the Xperia Z3 so far. Update: Yesterday, we were treated to some pictures of a beautiful looking Xperia Z3 Compact, and today we have leaked press images of the Xperia Z3, which looks equally pretty. Head to the bottom of the page to see the rest of the new pictures.

A first almost-offical look at the Xperia Z3. / © XPERIAblog

Sony Xperia Z3 release date

Sony released the Xperia Z2 about half a year after the Xperia Z1, so to keep up with their frequent release schedule we should see the latest model arrive around September. We'll find out more this afternoon!

Sony Xperia Z3 price

Based on current flagship price structure and Sony’s previous Xperia product launch prices, you can expect the Z3 to cost in the region of 900 USD. Whatever the internal specs or features, the use of premium materials on a flagship device almost guarantees this price bracket, so if the Z3 is anything like its predecessors, I'm not sure you'll see the off-contract version for much less.

This leaked image claims to show the Xperia Z3. © Weibo

Sony Xperia Z3 specs

I don't think many would argue that the Z2 was a rather modest upgrade to the already impressive Z1. As the Z2 only appeared earlier this year, and can still compete with the best mobile phones of today, it’s unlikely that the Z3 will set the world alight in terms of technology.
Unofficial Sony Xperia fansite Xperia Blog claims they have received images which show the Xperia Z3 will launch with a Snapdragon 801 processor with a clock speed of 2.5 GHz and Adreno 330 graphics. Twitter leaker @DooMLoRD_XDA gave credence to the processor claim when he tweeted that the newer S805 processor wasn't set to appear on Sony's new handset.
As for screen size and RAM, at this point I can only guess, but I doubt a step up from 3GB to 4GB of RAM will be necessary based on the other rumored specs, nor do I foresee a dramatic change to the display dimensions. A return of the OmniBalance design of previous models is probable, since Sony have made such a big fuss about it, so this means it's likely to have a glass and aluminum body. Having built a following thanks to its water resistant design, you can expect this to feature also.
A product listing for the Z3 device on Chinese site Tenna.com.cn has popped up revealing specifications in-line with our previous thoughts. The Z3 is a slimmer and lighter version of the Z2, featuring a slightly faster processor. As we mentioned above, with the Z2 being less than a year old and housing hardware that still stands up well against the best smartphones of today (we placed it in 3rd position on our best smartphones of 2014 list), it was unlikely to differ a vast amount from its predecessor. The updated specs table is below.
Sony Xperia Z3 vs Z2 comparison

	Xperia Z3	Xperia Z2
CPU	Qualcomm 2.5 GHz Quad-Core	Qualcomm 2.3 GHz Quad-Core
RAM	3 GB	3 GB
Display	5.3 inch Full HD	5.3 inch Full HD
Camera	20.7 MP	20.7 MP
Internal Memory	+ 16 GB microSD	+ 16 GB microSD
Dimensions	146.5 x 72.4 x 7.35 mm	146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm
Weight	158.4 g	163 g

Sony Xperia Z3 operating system

Though Android L will potentially launch around the same time as the Z3, it’s unlikely that Sony’s device will come with it. It's more plausible that it will be running KitKat 4.4.4 and adopt the new version of Android soon after.

Both the front and back of the device, as shown in the leaked images above, make the Xperia Z3 look very similar in design to the Z2. © Weibo

Sony Xperia Z3 display

The next generation of smartphones will be primed to include a QHD display, as seen on the likes of the LG G3 (whether you believe in the benefit or not) but this may be beyond the latest Xperia handset. Thanks to a purported screen capture from the device, that Xperia Blog got their hands on, it seems that a mere Full HD 1080p resolution display (seen on the past couple of Xperia iterations) will be present.

Sony Xperia Z3 camera

The Z2 featured virtually the same camera, design and interface as its predecessor, and the Xperia Blog claims that the leaked images confirm another 20.7 MP camera. This technology be found in the Z1 and Z2, but the Z3 may well include the Exmor RS sensor found on the LG G2 camera.

The latest image from @evleaks showing what we think is the back of the Xperia Z3. © @evleaks

A side view displaying how thin the Xperia Z3 is. © @evleaks

Update: We no longer need to pour over our previous, shoddy Xperia Z3 pictures as we now have some official press images to drool over thanks to Xperiablog.net. Check them out below - the metallic green version looks particularly lovely.

A side view of the copper-colored Xperia Z3. / © XPERIAblog

We can only hope the Xperia Z3 performs as well as it looks. / © XPERIAblog

Which is your favorite color? / © XPERIAblog

That's basically all we think we know. We'll have more information for you as we get it, but all signs suggest that we will see another strong flagship phone when viewed alongside the competition, that might not exactly offer a great reason for Z2 owners to upgrade.
What features would you like to see from the Sony Xperia Z3?

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How to hide root access from apps on Android

Whether you're using a Moto X, a Galaxy Note 3, a Nexus 5 or some other Android handset or tablet, there's a lot to be gained from rooting. But some apps refuse to play ball with a rooted device; this is where Hide My Root comes in.

Root may be ''risky'' but it's so good we kind of have to have it!. / © ANDROIDPIT

There is a great deal to be said for rooting your handset. It opens up a world of new apps and opportunities, but there can also be issues. Once rooted, you may well encounter the occasional app that refuses to run because you are rooted. But all is not lost; there is a solution.
You could take the drastic step of reversing the rooting process, but there's really no need to go this far. Why would you want to, after all? De-rooting means that you won't be able to use all of the apps that caused you to root in the first place! How about just pretending that your handset isn’t rooted?

Hide My Root is a simple looking tool that's easy to use. / © ANDROIDPIT/Amphoras

This is precisely what Hide My Root enables you to do. The name really does say it all here - you can simply trick apps into thinking that your phone is untouched and unrooted. Download a free copy of the app from Google Play and you're ready to go.

Hide my Root INSTALL

Using the app is very simple. When you encounter an app that refuses to install or run because it has detected that you are rooted, fire up Hide My Root. Hit the Hide su binary option and the superuser binary associated with rooting will be obfuscated, allowing you to run just about any app you want. There will still be some apps that are able to detect rooting, but they are few and far between.

Simply grant Hide My Root Superuser privileges and it will hide your SU binary. / © ANDROIDPIT/Amphoras

In extreme cases you can select the option to Uninstall su app and there's also a handy link to regrab the file from Google Play. Hide My Root is also useful if you share your phone or tablet with someone else because you are in control of when rooting is enabled, meaning that you can add a password to root access so no one else is able to access root when they borrow your device.
Hide My Root is a free, ad-supported app. If the ads annoy you, you can remove them for a small fee (0.99 USD/GBP).

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Facebook Messenger tips and tricks

Now that Facebook Messenger is the only way to chat on Facebook, with chat functionality removed from the official Facebook app, we thought it was high time we started sharing some usability tips for Messenger, especially now that we no longer have a choice not to use it.

Facebook Messenger has a few tricks up its sleeve. Now you can too. / © AndroidPIT

Why type when you can talk?

As you probably know, Facebook Messenger recently added free calling functionality, but it can also send short audio clips too, in the same way as we've all been doing with WhatsApp for, like, ever. Simply tap the microphone icon to bring up your record button and make a voice notation. The message will be sent automatically as soon as you're done.

Facebook Messenger lets you make free calls and as well as send short audio clips. / © ANDROIDPIT

Pin your besties to your wall

If there's a crew you talk to all the time, then why not bypass the app launching altogether and pin a group chat shortcut to your home screen? Just go to your Groups tab where you can select an existing group or create a new one and tap the little menu button on the top right of the Group tile. From here simply select ''Create shortcut'' to have a chat group shortcut added to your home screen.

Simply go to your Groups page, hit the menu and create a home screen shortcut. © AndroidPIT

A picture speaks a thousand words

Did you know you can take a photo direct from the keyboard in Messenger? See that little camera icon? Tap that to turn your keyboard space into a mini viewfinder (which you can also expand). You can switch between the front or back mounted cameras and snap a quick pic with the vertical send button rather oddly placed right in the middle of the viewfinder. Tap the little image icon next to the camera to choose from previously taken pics.

You have a mini-viewfinder hiding in your keyboard! / © ANDROIDPIT

Send a massive thumbs up!

If you're feeling a little like Miley Cyrus and have a need for a particularly big thumbs up, then just press and hold the Like button to inflate the size of your thumb. If a simple Like won't do the trick then hit that little emoji button at the end of the text entry field, hit your sticker collection or revert to your device's emoji supported keyboard for a bit more expressive flair.

Location sharing, big thumbs ups and a range of emoji and stickers are all available too. / © ANDROIDPIT

Send up a bat signal...or not

If you want a super easy way to let your friends know where you are Facebook has added a little location icon to the side of the text entry field, right there next to the smiley selector. As long as it is blue your friends will be able to see where you are. Simply hit the overflow menu button at the top right of the screen and tap ''View map'' to bring up your friend's current location. To see where they were when they sent you a message, just tap the message itself. If you don't want to share your location at all, head to your settings and uncheck the Location box.

So much easier than describing the exact corner you're on. / © ANDROIDPIT

Facebook Messenger INSTALL

What other tips for Facebook Messenger do you know?

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WhatsApp: how to get “chat heads” notifications......????

When Facebook Home first was introduced, it brought with the “chat heads” that provided a nice little notification in the corner of your display with a picture of your contact. You could then click on the picture and then seamlessly read and respond to messages without having to stop what you’re currently doing on your device.  If you’ve liked the way this works, but use another messaging service more than Facebook Messenger, take a look below and we will explain how to achieve the same results.

Facebook Messenger isn't the only messenger with chat head functionality. / © ANDROIDPIT

To achieve this, you’ll need to download an application called Seebye Chat Heads which is available via the Google Play Store. It is a module of the Xposed Framework and does require root access. Check out our article on what the Xposed Framework is and how it works.

• Xposed Framework: more of the best modules

Downloading Seebye Chat Heads

Thanks to this application, we can get the chat head notifications for other messaging apps, such as WhatsApp, to appear on the screen with a small circle and a picture of the contact. By click on this bubble, you’ll get access to three options in which you can see the conversation, mark it as read, or even reply.

With Seebye Chat Heads, you can get Facebook Messenger style notifications for WhatsApp. / © ANDROIDPIT

Much like Facebook Messenger, the chat heads can be moved anywhere on the screen so as to not obstruct your view of the display. As well, to get rid of a chat head, you simply have to do a long press on the icon and then drag it to the bottom of the screen where a "X" will appear. If you let go over the "X", the chat head will disappear from the display.

Seebye Chat Heads INSTALL

Have you used Seebye Chat Heads with any of your messaging applications? Let us know what you think of it. 

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How to stop Android apps running in the background!!!!

It's app hunting season. But before we go on an app massacre, let me remind you that many apps run in the background for good reason: they are syncing, providing location data or otherwise doing what they were designed to do. But not always. If you want to know which apps are running excessive background processes or you want to stop apps from running in the background entirely, then we'll show you how.

With so many apps you can't live without, you need to keep them under control. / © ANDROIDPIT

Process stats and battery usage

First of all, if you want to know which are running background processes and how power hungry they are, both in terms of processing power and impact on battery. Android has these monitoring options built in. You need to enable Developer Options by going to Settings > About Phone and tapping the Build number until you are notified that Developer Options have been enabled.

Process Stats lets you know which apps are running all teh time. Some should, others shouldn't. / © ANDROIDPIT

Now, in Developer Options you'll see the option for Process Stats, which will tell you how much of the time your key apps are running and how much RAM they are using. You can see how much battery your apps are using by going to Settings > Battery and then tapping on the individual apps. Keeping an eye on these two areas will get you used to what looks normal and what numbers are acceptable.

• Top apps for better system performance.

Digging into your Battery settings, you can see which apps are keeping your device awake, as well as how much battery and processor power they are consuming. / © AndroidPIT

Disable/force close/uninstall

If you have an app that you think is using an unreasonable amount of processor power or seems to be running in the background way more than it should, then you can either disable the app in your App Manager, force stop it in the Running tab or you can simply delete it if it is not an essential app. Some apps, like your third party keyboard, instant messengers and other constantly working apps make sense to be running all the time, but others do not.

You can force close or uninstall bad apps, and system apps can be disabled. / © ANDROIDPIT

What you want to look out for is games you're not playing, music players you're not using and other apps that seem to be doing more than they should, especially when you haven't used them recently or you can see no reason for them to be running in the background, like the stock keyboard if you're using a third party keyboard, for example. Again, once you get used to what seems normal for your device, the easier it will be for you to identify irregularities. You can always find replacement apps in the Play Store for process hungry apps, just check the app reviews.

• The best system performance monitoring apps for Android.

The Running tab lets you keep an eye on running apps, and if you don't need a system app you can Disable it. / © ANDROIDPIT

Greenify

Greenify is an app hibernation app, letting you put apps to sleep when you're not using them. It's basically an automated version of force closing or disabling apps every time you stop using them and then turning them back on when you need them. But doing that manually is a pain. Hence Greenify being one of the best app management apps around.

• Low memory on Android? Here's how to fix it.

Greenify makes app management a breeze. / © ANDROIDPIT/Oasis Feng

To get the full benefits of Greenify you need root access, but you can also manage app hibernation if you are not rooted. Just install the free app and give it a try. There's a paid version if you want to show your appreciation but the free one works a treat. Non-rooted users won't be able to automatically hibernate apps, but you can simply flick a widget switch to put your apps to sleep. Not a bad fix if you don't want to root your device. If you're serious about managing apps running background processes, Greenify is the tool you need.

Greenify INSTALL

Do you monitor your app processes? What tools do you use?

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