Computer - Android Tips, Tricks & Reviews of Applications!

Best Lyrics App for Android - musiXmatch Lyrics Player

2013-01-06T06:08:00.001+05:30

Best Lyrics App for Android - musiXmatch Lyrics Player

We all love music, there is no doubt about it. And we all love to sing in some way or other. Quite often we start humming a song without even noticing that we are singing something. Undeniable truth. Now Lyrics is something we all search for quite frequently to sing correctly. Right? That's the reason Lyrics keyword is most searched for postfix next only to the songs names. Now we have tons of amazing free Music Players for Android, how about a player that can show you Lyrics of your favorite songs? Why bother looking for lyrics inside a browser when you have an absolute stunner of a free Android app? Presenting you musiXmatch Lyrics Player that displays dynamic scrolling lyrics in more than 30 languages as stated by the developes. Its a must have music app for every music fan. It can save lyrics for offline viewing. Just favorite a song & you're done. Its interface is beautiful & performance is fast. Doesn't consume much resources. I have tested it on my Samsung Galaxy Ace & it works brilliantly. Its performance is superb. And the best thing is its sound quality. Songs sound amazingly clear & loud. Searching is super fast & accurate. Its definitely the #1 Lyrics app for iPhone & Android. And yes, it identifies lyrics from live TV & Radio. Watch the video below for more information.

Free Christmas & Winters Live Wallpapers for Android

2012-12-24T11:12:00.003+05:30

So, its only a few hours untill the much awaited festival of Christmas & I know you all must already be enjoying the warmth of it. Being an Indian, I am lucky to get to

celebrate festivals like Diwali (I am a Hindu), Eid & Christmas alongwith many others. Since I was born in winters, I really love chilly weather. And what a great time of year

it is to celebrate Christmas. Absolutely amazing feeling. So Merry Christmas to all my readers & everyone.

Now, how about some free Christmas & Winters Live Wallpapers for you Android devices? Isn't it exciting to see the Christmas Tree & Snow?
Presenting 2 of the best such wallpapers to double the excitement of festive season. Enjoy!!

1. 3D Christmas Live Wallpaper : -

Just brilliant! Amazingly beautiful & stunning. Graphics are just mind-blowing. Its as beautiful as the festival itself is. Also shows the countdown till a frew dates. Free version lacks many features available in paid version, but whatever is available, is breath-taking. If you're in Christmas mood, buy the paid version.

2. Snowfall Live Wallpaper : -

This is what I have currently set as wallpaper on my Samsung Galaxy Ace. This one focuses on Winters & the snow effects are just apt. Beautiful & realistic. This one is something we call COOL. Very pleasant to see & doesn't slow the device down. Again, paid version is better if you feel like spending on it.

Format Factory - One of the best Free Video Converters

2012-10-05T08:49:00.000+05:30

Format Factory - One of the best Free Video Converters for PC.

How often do we feel need to convert videos for our mobile phones? Especially when it comes to Samsung Galaxy Ace. Galaxy Ace doesn't support HD & full HD videos so we need to convert our favorite videos to the format supported by phone. Ofcourse, this applies to any mobile phone with video playback capabilities, but since I own a Samsung Galaxy Ace, I will focus on it.

I have found that videos with resolution of 640 X 480 can be played easily on Samsung Galaxy Ace with little compromise on quality & almost no lag. So in order to play videos, we need to convert them to MP4 format with resolution of 640 X 480.

Now comes the free application for PC to convert videos. I personally use Format Factory. Its completely free & handles a large array of video formats. Download Format Factory & install on your PC. Once it installs, run it. Now click All to MP4. See the screenshot below.

In the Profile section, choose MPEG 720 X 480 Widescreen. Now click Output Setting to edit the resolution and change it to 640 X 480. Leave other settings as they are. Bitrate must be 1200. Click OK.

Add a video file, click OK. Now click start. Conversion process will begin & once its done, a pop-up notification will tell you that it has been converted. Click Output Folder to navigate to the converted video. That's it. You're now able to play video on your Samsung Galaxy Ace. For other mobiles, please choose appropriate resolution & bit-rate.

For Best & Free Video player & other applications for your Samsung Galaxy Ace, click here.

I have used it on my phone & it works like charm. Please drop your comments if you liked or disliked this post.

Handy Keyboard Shortcuts for Linux / Unix

2012-09-15T10:44:00.000+05:30

After a long time, am writing this post. Been very busy of late because of the Liver ailment, exams & office work. This time, I am writing about Linux / Unix shortcut keys that are quite handy, useful & will save you a lot of time & inconvenience. These shortcuts work in BASH shell (Bourne Again SHell). So make sure, you're using BASH. Read on.

Ctrl+a Jump to the start of the line.

Ctrl+b
Move a character back i.e move cursor to the left.

Ctrl+dDelete from under the cursor.

Ctrl+e
Jump to the end of line.

Ctrl+f
Move forward a character i.e. move cursor to the right.

Ctrl+k
Delete the entire line.

Ctrl+l
Clear the screen.

Ctrl+u
Delete backwards from the current cursor position.

Alt+<
Move to the first line of the History.

Alt+>
Move to the last line of the History.

TeamViewer - Free Android App to remote control your Computer

2012-08-06T10:38:00.001+05:30

How exciting can it get to control your computer remotely using your Android device? For me, its one of the best Android experiences! Just imagine how it will be to access your computer when you are not at your home! Uses are limitless. Should your parents or friends need your help with their systems, you can easily access their computer using your phone / tab & provide them the help. Today, I discuss about a free Android app that does it for you. You need 2 apps. One for your Android device & one for your computer that you want to control. Read on for the instructions.

1. Download & install TeamViewer for Android (1.6 & above).

2. Download & install TeamViewer for Computer (could be Windows / Linux or Mac).

3. After installing it on your computer, sign-up to get a Team Viewer ID.

4. Open TeamViewer app on your Android device.

5. Enter that TeamViewer ID in the text box & click Remote Control.

6. You're done. Access your computer now using your Android phone / tab.

Features of TeamViewer : -

Free for personal use. Both the apps are free.
Supports Windows / Linux & Mac.
Secure connection.
Multi-touch gestures including drag-&-drop, zoom.
App is lightweight (both desktop & android versions). Installs to SD card.
Installation is super easy. Desktop edition is only 3 MBs in size. Installs in seconds.
No lags experienced.

Tested on my Samsung Galaxy Ace with Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread. Its working like charm. I shall not be responsible for any thing if it doesnt run on your device.

WordWeb - Best Free Offline Dictionary for Android

2012-07-31T11:16:00.002+05:30

WordWeb - Free Offline Dictionary for Android.

Looking for a great offline dictionary for your Android device? Need to look up meanings of words on the go? Dont want to pay for the Dictionary app? WordWeb is the perfect solution for all the dictionary needs. Though, its download size is around 22 MBs, its worth it. After all, its offline. Read on for the brief review.

100% free without any ads.
Huge collection of words.
Shows examples & how to use the words.
Doesn't consume much resources.
Doesn't use internet.
Interface is clean.
Autocomplete feature makes it easy to find the desired words.
Shows a large number of options like Verb, Noun, etc.
Installs on SD Card. No worry of running low on memory.

Only downside is its size when downloading. 22 MBs may seem too much but it can't go without the database file. Also it sits on your SD Card & not on System Memory. Download once & enjoy the benefits for long.

Its also available for Windows PCs. More on this here : -

P.S : - I have tested this on my Samsung Galaxy Ace with Android 2.3.6. It runs quite well without any problems. I shall not be held responsible if it harms your device. Practice caution.

Tiny Flashlight + LED - One of the best Free Flashlight apps for Android

2012-07-17T01:59:00.002+05:30

One of the best flash-light apps for Android.

How often we feel the need of a flash-light in our phones? In India where power outages are quite common, Tiny Flashlight + LED is one must have free app for your Android device. Ofcourse there can be numerous uses of flash-light.

I earlier posted about the similar free app Brightest Flashlight. It also does similar task, but Tiny Flashlight does it even better. This is the reason I am writing this post. Tiny Flashlight works like charm & is super fast. All you need is to install this app & place the shortcut on your first home screen. And you will always have an effective flash-light handy. Below is its summary.

Lightweight app. Only around 1.5 MBs.
Has several options like camera LED & display (Warning Lights, Police Lights, Color Flashlight, Strobe Flashlight, Morse Code, Text to Morse, Manual Morse Code).
Even if your phone doesn't have flash, you can still use mobile display for the purpose.
Full tablet support.
100% Free to use with widgets.
Sound effect.

Watch the video below : -

P.S. I have tested this app on my Samsung Galaxy Ace with Android 2.3.6 & it works quite well without any issue. I hold no responsibilty in case it doesn't run well on your device.

My Favorite Free Music Players for Android

2012-07-06T09:54:00.000+05:30

There are tons of music players available for Android that are actually worth installing. But the ones you will like to install are not free :( This includes some of the better apps like PowerAmp, DoubleTwist Player, PlayerPro, N7 Player, MixZing, Rocket Player & Neutron Player. Problem with all these apps is that they are either evaluation version apps or their free versions have limited features. This really makes us feel bad. I will post about 6 free music player apps for Android that you will love to have on your device.

1. JetAudio Basic : -

Probably the best music player for Android. Has got awesome sound quality & sound effects. Even if you want to upgrade to Plus version, it won't hurt you because its price is around 2 US $ only. Click here for full review.

2. Winamp : -

Winamp, we all have been using on our PC's since long. Winamp for Android does a good job too.

Its interface is good. Playlists can be managed easily. Sound quality is good if you have installed Equalizer app. Lock Screen widget & headset controls are there. Click here for more details on how to get the best sound.

3. RealPlayer : -

Though its UI is plain & it also doesn't have any equalizer or sound effects, RealPlayer can be installed & used if you're only concerned about listening to music. I recommend you install Equalizer app to boost your device sound. Lock Screen widget & headset controls are present for easy listening.

4. Cloudskipper : -

Has many features that you can enjoy for free, the most important being Sound Equalizer. Other features include Bass Boost, Reverb, and Virtualizer. Lock Screen widget is available. Music can be controlled using headset. UI is very cool.

5. Rocket Music Player : -

Has got all the required features such as Graphic Equalizer & Lock Screen. UI is really good. Gives a fresh feel. Light weight app weighing in at 3.4 MB. Playlist management is also good. Do give it a try.

6. ³ (aka Cubed) Music Player : -

If you're looking for a 3D UI in a music player app, go for Cubed. Though it doesn't have many features, its cool 3D interface compensated for that. Will download Album Art for you & display them in a 3D cube. Have it on your device & have fun.

iTag - Free Music Tag Editor - Album Art Downloader for Android

2012-06-30T01:03:00.001+05:30

I have seen a lot of people, infact almost everyone i know who don't tag their music collection properly. All they do is just copy / download the file to their computer / mobile directly & start listening to it. Not keeping the music properly tagged has its demrits. You miss out on chance to create playlists of songs sung by your favorite singer(s). Keeping the collection organised is alwaya a better option. Also having an app that helps download album art is another very likeable thing. For computer, I use iTunes both as music manager & player. For Android, there is a nice little app called iTag. It lets you edit tags & download album art or cover art pretty easily. With a few clicks, your music library will be well organised & you'll have album arts to be seen in your favorite music player. Below is the review of iTag for Android.

Pros : -

Small, lightweight app.
Tagging is straightforward. No rocket science involved.
Free app. Ads dont irritate.
Downloads & embeds Album Art easily. Same can be applied to entire album.
Runs well without freezing or crashing your device. (tested on Samsung Galaxy Ace)

Cons : -

Interface is a bit dull.
Batch edit is not available. Songs have to be edited one by one.
No option to add / edit Composer & Lyricist.

For a free app, iTag does a decent job. Needs a few improvements but that's the case with almost every app. Those who want their music library well organised will love this for sure.

P.S. I have used it on my Samsung Galaxy Ace with Android 2.3.6. It runs quite well & is never crashed.

JetAudio for Android! Free, Dandy Music Player with Great Sound Effects

2012-06-26T02:19:00.002+05:30

One of the best music players for Android - JetAudio

JetAudio is one the Music Players I use on my laptop. Not because its better than my favorite iTunes, but because it provides the features that even the biggies lack. I am talking about Sound Effects. My Audio Card's driver has no option for choosing listening environment & that's the reason JetAudio sits there on my laptop. There is option to enable listening environments like Hall, Stadium, Room etc. A few songs sound really good when heard in virtual environments. Enough said about the desktop version. This post is for Android only. So let me tell you, JetAudio is miles ahead of PowerAmp & other top Music Apps when it comes to sound effects. Its 100% free, though you can purchase the Plus version for Ads-free experience. JetAudio Basic has features that are available only in paid versions of other players. Read on for full review.

Cons :-

Ads. Though they won't disturb you.
No Lock-Screen. I have asked developers for the same.
No Headset-Controls. I have asked developers for this as well.

Pros:-

Sound Effects. Including 10/20 bands graphic equalizer, Wide - Reverb - XBass & others like Hall - Stadium - Room.
Automatic Gain Control (AGC, that enables same volume level for all songs).
Crossfading.
Sleep Timer.
Ability to play songs Folder-wise (one of the most sought after feature!)
Cool User Interface.
Supports many formats.
Gapless playback.
Playback speed controls.
Installd to SD card, thus saves precios memory.
Allows you to post the song being played to Facebook & Twitter.

I recommend JetAudio for all those who want better sound quality from their Android device. I have tested this on my Samsung Galaxy Ace with Android 2.3.6 & am completely satisified with the audio playback that it offers. Great sound quality & great features make it one of the best Music Players for Android. Go for it. The cons disappoint but might be fixed in future updates. Till then install JetAudio & enjoy your music with better sound quality.

Pool Master Pro - Best Free Pool game for Android

2012-06-22T03:49:00.000+05:30

Pool Master Pro - Free Pool game for Android.

Reviewing Pool Master Pro - Free Pool game for android.

I am not a game freak at all, but sometimes I do feel like playing something that can set my mood right (apart from listening to good music!). Many of us like to play Pool either on mobile phone, laptop, desktop or in real. Here I review one of the best free Pool games available for Android devices. Pool Master Pro is one such game. Its 100% free & ads don't irritate. Read on for full review.

P.S - This review is based on my Samsung Galaxy Ace with Android 2.3.6. It runs quite well on my phone. Never crashed.

Pros : -

Lightweight app that weighs in at around 2.2 MBs.
Installs on SD card so no need to worry about less RAM.
Graphics are good if not eye-candy. What else should we expect from a 2.2 MB game?
Game physics is very accurate.
Easy to play.
Sound effects are great. Very realistic.
Easy on device.
Doesn't crash.
Runs well without freezing.

Cons : -

Takes some time to load.
Sometimes it gets a bit difficult to aim when the cue stick is in the same direction.
Game can't be paused.

If you're looking for a simple, light & free Pool game then Pool Master is recommended for you.

Free Flash light / Torch Application for Android devices

2012-05-25T18:39:00.001+05:30

Reviewing Flashlight Android application.

Cheaper phones have always had an edge over high-end phones when it comes to torch / flashlight. Its a must have feature in any mobile. Who knows when power gets off & you need to search something especially below the bed! Flash lights come very handy at times. Cheap indigenous phones have been providing this feature since long. But what about Android phones? Well, most of them have camera flash & this has been used to provide help when it gets dark. Read on.

For all Android device users, there is an app called Brightest Flashlight. It uses your camera flash for light alongwith phone's screen. Below are the features.

Free app. All ads are non-obtrusive. They dont play spoilsport.

Light is quite bright.

App is not very light on device, but its worth it.

Auto turns off in 2 minutes.

To turn it off, just hit back key.

Screen can also be used for light, but it sometimes causes LEDs of virtual keys to stay on. Better use camera flash only.

I have personally used this on my Samsung Galaxy Ace & it runs quite well. No performance issues have been found.

My favorite Android File Manager - ES File Explorer

2012-04-30T00:57:00.001+05:30

Reviewing ES File Explorer, one of the best File Managers for Android.

File manager is a must have app on any Android device because the default one is never sufficient. At least in Samsung Galaxy Ace, the default file manager lacks many features. So its always a good idea to install a seperate file manager. Earlier I used File Manager by Rhythm Software but then changed that with ES File Explorer. Below is the review of ES File Explorer which is free & one of the best. I used it on my Samsung Galaxy Ace with Android 2.3.6.

1. Its interface is very good. You can change the color & themes as well.

2. Lets you search files using different criteria like file-name.

3. Lets you delete & manage files easily.

4. Loads fast & is light on device.

5. By default, gets installed on SD card, saving phone memory.

6. Includes photo viewer & music player (though quite basic).

Watch the video below : -

Android app for locating Mobile & Landline Number (India)

2012-04-28T00:34:00.001+05:30

ShaPlus Caller Info(India) - Free Android Mobile Number Locator.

Many times we receive calls from unknown numbers & we are anxious to know where it came from. It helps us in many ways if we have this info. Here, i tell you about one free Android app that does it for you. Checked on my Samsung Galaxy Ace with Android Gingerbread 2.3.6. Read on.

ShaPlus Caller Info (India) is a free, lightweight Android app that shows you the location of the caller. It also shows the operator but it has no relevance after the number has been ported. But still the info provided is very useful. It integrates itself with the system & displays the info whenever the calls come. It can also be set to show details of the number you are calling (it can be done in app's settings). Interface is a bit plain. Should have been more pleasant looking. But it does the work as it promises. It even stores its own logs to give details about the region & operator. Works for both Landline & Mobile numbers. You can change the notification area where it shows the details.

P.S. - It works for Indian numbers only.

Send unlimited free SMS through GPRS using Android phone / device

2012-04-15T00:31:00.001+05:30

Free SMS India Android app

Reviewing "Free SMS India" Android app to send free messages.

Are you SMS savvy? Do you send text messages day in & day out? Do you spend a lot of money on message packs? Are you an Android user living in India as well? Are you looking for a free Android app to send free & unlimited messages to any Indian number? If your answer is YES, this post is for you.
I use an app called Free SMS India which allows to send unlimited number of messages (SMSs) using your data plan. You need not buy separate message packs & spend money. All you need is to install this lightweight app & choose your default SMS gateway. In my case, its 160by2.com. Read on for the review.

Cons :-

Interface is a bit dull.
Sometimes messages do deliver but the progress-bar shows nothing.
Sometimes progress-bar does show that message has been sent but it is not delivered.

Pros : -

Very light-weight app weighing around 200-300 KBs.
Consumes very little resources. Light on memory as well.
Very fast. Sends messages in seconds.
Chat feature is available.
Group messaging is also possible. Several groups can be created.
Can be set as default messaging app, replacing the default one.
Updates are ready every week.
Developer is quite approachable & hard-working.

Do use it & let me know if it works for you.
P.S. - Its available for users of Indian SIM cards only, so please don't blame me & the developer if it doesn't work for users of International SIMs.

Delete History from your Samsung Galaxy Ace / Android phone / Device

2012-04-14T00:49:00.000+05:30

History Eraser Android app

Reviewing "History Eraser" Android app to get rid of old data & improve performance.

Sometimes we need to erase all the history from our Android phone / device. Reasons can be obvious. History consumes resources (though not that much) & OS has to keep track of the entries. History also includes call logs & message logs that take up system memory. More is the number of entries in logs, slower will be the performance. So its a good idea to get rid of history / logs. Below is how to do this using a free Android app.

Download History Eraser. Its a free app for Android devices that will do all the clean-up work for you. It will help increase free space & improve performance. It includes option to clear the clipboard data as well. I have tried this app personally on my Samsung Galaxy Ace & it works like charm.

Cons : -

No cons as such. Interface could have been better, though.

Pros : -

Lightweight app. Weighs only 350-400 KBs.

Easy on system. Uses minimum possible resources.

Fast performance & reliable work. Shows the space consumed & space gained (after operation).

Free up RAM (memory) in your Samsung Galaxy Ace / Android devices

2012-04-06T23:59:00.000+05:30

We tend to install a lot of apps & games when we have just got our hands dirty on Android device. Android means loads of free apps (& games)! But one major constraint is the device memory or RAM that limits the number of apps & games that can be installed. Device becomes slow & laggy when a lot of RAM has been consumed. Even if you don't install many apps, you will find free space being consumed. It happens because many apps cache data that they use frequently. Ofcourse it improves performance but at the same time reduces it as well. So its a good idea to clear this cached data to reclaim free space. One free app does it for you. Its name is "App Cache Cleaner". Its very much like CCleaner for PC.

App Cache Cleaner scans all the apps & shows how much cached data is there. From that list you can choose to individually clear the cache or you can clear all the data together in one go.

How to get the best Sound out of Samsung Galaxy Ace?

2012-04-03T01:14:00.000+05:30

Reviewing the "Best & Free Equalizer app" for Samsung Galaxy Ace / Android devices.

This post is for those who want the best sound quality from their Samsung Galaxy Ace phone (other Android phone / device users can also try this). Its default Music Player is extremely poor performer both in terms of interface & sound. Please refer to Best Music Player post for more on choosing best & free Music Players for your Galaxy Ace. I personally use Winamp.

I have noticed clicking / popping sounds in the music playback with most of music player apps. Only Winamp & Poweramp didn't produce any such irritating sound. So please grab Winamp for greater Audio clarity.

Now comes the major part. Enriching the sound being played through Winamp. The best Free Equalizer app is a self named app that totally changes the sound coming out of your device. Download Equalizer app to enjoy best possible sound. It comes with a 5-band equalizer & lets you edit the presets (you need to buy it to save more than 1 presets, but i guess, 1 is sufficient). Below are the details / features.

1. 5-band equalizer that can be edited (Pro version needed to save more than 1 presets).
2. Effects like Virtualizer, Bass Boost & Reverb. (Only Bass Boost seems to work on Galaxy Ace). Use with Headsets for better experience.
3. On-Off options for Equalizer & effects.
4. Skinnable.
5. Sound enhancement applies to all the sounds including Ringtones.

Tips :-

1. Please use only Bass Boost effect & set it to 100%.

2. Don't enable Virtualizer or if you really want it, then don't set it to more than 25%. It produces a lot of hissing sounds.

Note : - I recommend installing another great Music Player, JetAudio for experiencing great sound from your Android device. Below is the link of my review.

http://softybits.blogspot.com/2012/06/jetaudio-for-android-free-dandy-music.html

Free 'Music Visualizers' (Visualizations) for Samsung Galaxy Ace

2012-02-20T08:14:00.000+05:30

Don't know how many of us like to see visualizations moving along with our favorite music. But, I really like the stuff responding to the beats of music! It helps me focus on music better. Every thump, every major beat can be SEEN & felt better if a good visualizer is there. Android does have a few for your phones / tabs. A few are paid apps but I only talk about the FREE ones. Here are the 2 apps / visualizers that I myself use.

1. WIRE Visualizer : - Its fast & is very responsive. Has got excellent UI & many options for you to change the pattern & image. Effects are very good & is light on your device memory. Would like it more had it included option to add our own images!

2. Visualisator 5000 : - Its very light, fast & customizable. Free version has 13 visual presets. Paid has 3 more :) It works with any sound that it can detect. So any sound coming off your favorite music player will make the visualizer respond to that. You can customize the texture to get optimum speed of the animation.

Best Free Android Apps for Samsung Galaxy Ace!

2012-02-13T10:53:00.000+05:30

There are tons of apps available on market.android.com, some are free where as some are paid. I only use free (barring PowerAmp) software and believe me the apps given below can pretty easily rival their default / paid counterparts. All of these are free and above par.

1. Music Player :-

Nothing beats PowerAmp!!! Its just the best audio player for Galaxy Ace & others too (haven't tried on any other except my Galaxy!). Plays everything but videos. For Audio, its unbeatable. Though it's paid, but if you love your music, this is excellent investment. Another option for free Audio Player is Cloudskipper that also includes 5 band equalizer, lock-screen widget, hands-free controls but lacks a few features. Give it a try as well.

Cons : - COSTS 260 INR (around 5 US$). Only plays AUDIO, even if the file is video. But i always prefer standalone apps. Read on for Video Player.

Pros :-

Super Fluid-Liquid kind of interface. It just enthralls the soul.

Excellent Equalizer customizability! Even default / Winamp & Real Player fail to provide such thing. Its damn great feature.

Very responsive & fast. No sluggishness whatsoever!

You can tweak almost everything. Be it its interface or Audio settings. Just everything! Great control over the customizability.

BEST feature - You can control the actions of headset button :) Press once to pause (great when your screen times out, no need to unlock. Just press once to pause. Press again to play), press twice to skip to next song in playlist. Press thrice to jump to previous song in the list. it just saves you a lot of inconvenience. Lock-screen widget also allows to operate player without unlocking phone & seeking can be done easily.

Note:- Winamp is another great & free Music Player for Android. Click here for its features & how to get the best sound quality from Android device.

Just found one more great & probably the best Music Player app for Android. Its JetAudio. Click the link below for full review.
http://softybits.blogspot.com/2012/06/jetaudio-for-android-free-dandy-music.html

2. Video Player :-

I use a beauty called MX Video Player. Its pretty much like GOM player or VLC player for PCs. Fast, smooth and powerful.

Cons: -

Erratic playback in case of a few .flv flash videos :( Though handles many others quite well!

Pros :-

Supports almost any possible media format. Played a few .flv files on mine when default player & Real player refused to do so :D

Super fast performance! Lightweight app. Plays videos smoothly.

Powerful features like video controls, de-interlacing, codec selection, color depth option, automatic codec download in case it fails to play a file. Just like any desktop app :)

Pinch to zoom or gestures to up / down volume & seeking! Just super smooth and easy.

Another great Video player is MoboPlayer. Infact is even better than MX player in many terms. Handles .flv files well & also the quality is great. Do give it a try & choose what you feel is best of these 2.

3. Photo Editor :-

I used and straightaway liked PicSay!! Fast and feature loaded. Must have for Android devices especially Ace!

Pros : -

In one line, allows you to enhance photos and add funny titles & other stuff etc. Does what it promises. Very easily adjusts the brightness / contrast / temperature. Address white-balance issue quite well.

4. Anti-Virus :-

Both Avast & AVG promise to be the best free AV solution for Android. I use AVG. Its fast, efficient, easy on memory and easy to use. Also includes a lot of features like App killer, task manager, backup etc. Great AV. Must have app for your Galaxy.

5. Comic Viewer / Reader :-

If you are a comix reader like me and have got tons of .CBR & .CBZ comix, use this free app Perfect Viewer to read them. Super smooth navigation and viewing. Absolutely fast and promising. 100% satisfied. You can also customize the interface for navigation.

6. File Manager :-

Well, the name itself is File Manager. It allows searching for any file by typing a few letters of name. Something that default file manager fails to do :( Nothing much to say, you will like this a lot as its free, fast and easy on device :)
One more similar free app is ES File Explorer. Its also one of the best in-class apps. Click here for its review.

7. Browser :-

Nothing beats Opera Mini & Dolphin browser. Dolphin lets you play YouTube videos directly. Other browsers open up the YouTube app for the same. Opera is lightening fast as usual. Needless to say, Opera helps download music & other media as well, say, a photo or a zip file from FB inbox. They both are very good alternatives for default browser.

8. Free SMS (for India only):-

I use an app called Free SMS India. It does exactly what its been developed for. Very simple UI & super delivery-speed. No need to pay for SMS. Only pay for the data plan that you have chosen. A must have app if you send a lot of msgs.

9. Dictionary :-

There are 2 options. One for offline & one for online. If you can't access internet every now & then but need to find meanings of words, choose WordWeb Dictionary. You'll need to download a 26 MB database file once (it sits on SD card) & thats it :) Been using its PC version for 2 years & its BEST offline dictionary!! Future updates might include Pronounce feature. If you are comfortable connecting to net 24/7, use Dictionary.com. It includes 'pronounce words' feature :)

10. Photo Viewer :-

Again I use 2 viewers. QuickPic & Photo Gallery (FishBowl). QuickPic, as the name suggests, is fast & powerful viewer. Very neat UI & browsing is really fast. FishBowl is meant for fun browsing as it has a few special effects in its UI. Both are good. Latter is more fun :) QuickPic is basic but fast. Try both of these & you won't be disappointed.

11. Memory Game :-
I
play a puzzle based game called Memory Trainer. Its 100% free app to sharpen your mind. Has got many levels & many memory drills to perform. It focuses on concentrating more & more. Also makes you put pressure on your brain harder which is the best way to enhance memory. Play it regularly & you'll notice the change.

12. Notepad :-

If you frequently need to take down notes, then this app is a must have, FreeNote+. It is a complete note-taking tool that allows you to type, draw & record. So you can draw diagrams, type words & record voice. A perfect companion when you have no pen-paper around but need to note down something.

My Samsung Galaxy Ace experience! Cons n Pros!

2012-01-12T19:25:00.000+05:30

Samsung Galaxy Ace S5830

Got my hands dirty on this phone last week. Bought it for 14000 bucks with 8 GB SD card pre-installed. Not a bad deal since I bought it in my home-town 'Charkhi Dadri'. Here's my review of this 'Mid-High end' Smartphone & how to make it better. I always prefer to start with cons ;)

Cons:-

1. If you're an avid gamer, it might disappoint you as its internal memory isn't enough & also processor is a bit slow with 800 Mhz clock speed, it still has 200 MHz GPU to compensate a bit!!!. I wont give the specs here as that can be found on official site. BUT since I am not @ all into gaming, I have had no issues with its performance.

2. Have noticed a few bugs.

If enabled, Shuffle feature makes the Album Art view erratic in its default Audio Player. If you swipe across the screen to navigate in NOW PLAYING mode, random Album Art appears instead of actual one. Clicking Next / Previous however loads correct Album Art (if any ;) ). I have a solution for this.

Some problem with LED lights (beside home-screen key) on device when connecting / disconnecting to / from computer. Need to experiment, though :)

If you have files in default folders like 'Bluetooth' & / or 'Downloads', chances are that you'll face problems opening them. I experienced the same with IMAGES that got placed automatically in the above 2 folders. Took a lot of time to open them. When moved to other folders, they opened perfectly without any issue. Not to worry, as my other posts addresses this issue as well :)

3. Average default Audio & Video players. But read my post for best free alternatives.

4. Battery indicator may give an illusion of completely discharged battery. It may run for over an hour or 2 if used for music / mild surfing / video. All smartphones have poor battery back-up, give or take a few minutes :)

5. Always you need to unlock the device to move to songs' / videos' list once the screen times out. Same holds true for downloading or doing anything on the phone. Once the screen times out, you need to unlock it and then access anything. For music, i have remedies, though. Read my other post.

6. Display has some issues with White-balance :( White is just NOT that white. Slightly pale it appears when viewing photos. But again, i have remedy to this as well :) Read my post.

Pros:-

1. Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread itself is enough :)

2. LARGE screen, with a bit less resolution ensures quick performance. ;)

3. Audio clarity is great.

4. Touch is super responsive! Feather-touch, must say. No trouble with typing. Its a delight to use finger gestures like pinch to zoom, moving to next / previous image. An absolute treat!

5. Super fast if not loaded with unnecessary apps and stuff on device. My other post tells about the free apps that I use.

6. Browser does a very good job. But still Opera Mini is a must ;)

7. Has something for everyone. Great Google apps that are pre-installed. No flash player support, though, but you can watch directly over YouTube (app pre-installed!).

One of the best Windows tweaking / cleaning / performance enhancing Applications, "Slimware Utilities"

2011-08-17T18:40:00.000+05:30

While we all might have tried many applications to boost the system performance, only a few of us must have checked free alternatives. Yes, most of us go for CRACKS of similar kind of applications to increase the machine's performance. But let me tell you, there are mant free programs designed to beat their paid competitors. People have been using TuneUp utilities (mind you, the CRACK!!!) and \ or other similar apps. I have come up with one helluva of a program from http://www.slimwareutilities.com/.

This site offers 3 free products. SlimCleaner, SlimComputer & SlimDrivers.

I recommend you download all these 3 apps. I will start with 'SlimCleaner'.

Whats Hot? :-

1. The best thing is that its FREE!!! No charges whatsoever.

2. It has got the best interface and the most appealing design among the similar apps. The CPU-RAM meter and the status are a treat to watch.

3. If you're connected to internet, it will tell you about a particular entry whether its safe to remove it or not. This recommendation is based on reviews and votes of other users. So it makes it easy to decide whether we should delete a particular entry from STARTUP or not!! It even gives the full description of entries.

4. Can be ported to Flash-drives as Portable version. Users can also access the app offline off its portable version.

5. Has won a lot awards and accolades. The app is Microsoft certified Gold partner. Has got excellent remarks from giants like PCMAG, CNET.com.

Whats Not? :-

1. Doesn't fix registry (which is sometimes better than ending up with screwed machine!!)

2. Iterface is a bit difficult for beginners but the look will appeal a lot!! After getting accustomed, its a breeze!

DOWNLOAD IT FROM HERE:- http://www.slimwareutilities.com/

How to upload / attach applications (.exe files) in gmail.

2011-01-05T23:49:00.000+05:30

How many times we have tried to attach a .exe file in Gmail but couldn't!! Because of security issues, Gmail doesn't allow this. But what if you have to send your fiend a very useful application?? Read on.

There is a very simple trick in doing this :)

Go to the folder that contains the concerned .exe file.

Click Tools->Folder Options->View

There is an option "Hide extensions for known file types".

This is selected by default, deselect it.

Now go to that file. And rename it.

Change the .exe part with .mp3.

Now attach it to gmail. Gmail will treat the executable file as an mp3 file and consequently allow you to attach it.

After sending the file in mail, do just reverse. Rename the file replacing .mp3 with .exe.

PC starting up too slowly and overall performance poor?

2011-01-05T23:21:00.000+05:30

Hi All, finally i am back with one of the remedies for your systems that are slow to boot. Mostly it happens because of a large number of programs running in background without even your knowledge!! They take up your RAM and CPU cycles. So better get rid of the applications that you dont want to start automatically with Windows. Follow these steps to get this done.

Press Windows + R or click Start->Run.

Type in the textbox, msconfig. (without a fullstop)

Something like this will open up.

Click the last tab "Startup".

Deselect the applications that you dont want to automatically start.
After doing this, press OK button. A dialog box will pop up asking you to either reboot now or later. Choose accordingly.

You are done! :)

Caution:- Never disable the application(s) that you are not aware of.

Upload Photos From Picasa To Facebook!

2010-12-22T06:30:00.000+05:30

Upload photos to Facebook using Google Picasa.

How often do we use Picasa to enhance our photos using 1-click method "I am feeling lucky"? I use it almost every time I transfer photos from my mobile to laptop. Ever thought how easy it would be if there was an option to upload those ENHANCED photos to Facebook directly without editing & exporting? Well, read on to find the method. Original article taken from http://techie-buzz.com/image-tools/upload-picasa-images-to-facebook.html

Follow the below steps :-

1. Download the Picasa Uploader application.

2. Add Facebook Button to Picasa by clicking on the Add button.

3. Follow the steps.

4. Once authorized, launch Picasa. Select the photos you want to upload. After that, click Facebook button in the toolbar (bottom of the screen).

5. Follow the steps.

6. You're done.

It is by far, the fastest method to post photos to facebook. Also it conserves the edis made to the photos that you upload. No need to manually save them to other location.