Posts Tagged: ‘Phone’

Android Accessibility Tips (2023-06)

June 11, 2023 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

Lets face it.  Most of our club members are getting on in age.  I know that I am.  Sometime it is hard to use my Android phone.  Thankfully, there are a lot of settings that make it easier to use.  Some only work on newer models.  Here are a few tweaks that I use to make Android better for me.

1.  Increase Font and Icon Size to make reading easier.  My old eyes appreciate text that is easier to read.
Open the Display settings menu.
Tap on “Font size.”
Adjust the font size using the slider given till the preview text becomes large and easy to read.
Tap on “Display size.”
Drag the slider to the right to increase.

2.  Increase Screen Contrast to make text more readable.
Open the Display settings menu.
Navigate to “Screen mode” and use the “White balance” slider to adjust the colors.

3.  Change the Keyboard Size. My big fingers used to hit the wrong key.
Open “Settings -> System -> Language & input -> On-screen keyboard.”
Select the keyboard you want to customize.
Open the keyboard height settings.

4.  Enable TalkBack to have Android read aloud whatever is on your screen.  I don’t use this all the time, but it sometimes comes in handy.
Navigate to “Settings -> Accessibility -> TalkBack.”
Use the toggle button to turn the feature on.
Give the required permissions to activate TalkBack.

5.  Enable the magnification feature to help zoom in on the active screen.
Open “Settings -> Accessibility -> Magnification.”
Toggle on the “Magnification shortcut.”
You should see a magnification glass icon on your screen.  Tap on it to open the magnifier. A box that magnifies anything it’s placed on will appear on the screen.  You can drag and move this box around to highlight various parts of the screen.  When the magnification glass is active, you’ll see a toggle button that allows you to switch from the small magnifier to a full-screen zoom.

While you’re in the Accessibility section, check out many of the other settings than can make your phone easier to use.  You might find something that is helpful for you.

Although these are Android specific settings (for the latest version), many people have told me there are equivalents for the Apple world.

Thanks for reading.

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Android Developer Options (2023-05)

April 30, 2023 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

Did you know that Android has many hidden advanced settings that you can use?  Most people don’t.  Android has an impressive hidden settings menu called “Developer Options”.  These options contain a number of advanced and unique features.

In order to access any of these menu options, you first need to unlock the hidden Developer Options Menu on your device.  To begin, go to the main Settings menu.  Then select About Phone (or Tablet or About Device).  Next find the “Build number” entry.  Tap it seven times in rapid succession.  You’ll get a message informing you that the Developer options menu has been unlocked.

Here are just a few of the options you might want to consider enabling or changing.
1) When you move between apps and screens in Android, some of that time is spent looking at animations and waiting for them to go away.  You can disable these animations entirely by changing the Window animation scale, Transition animation scale and Animator duration scale options.  If you like animations but just wish they were faster, you can increase the speed.
2) The first option I always enable is Stay Awake While Charging.  Android will keep your device’s screen on while charging.  It won’t turn off unless you hit the power button.
3) If you find that you are often running short on memory, you can limit the number of background processes that run.  The “Limit Background Processes” option allows you to limit the number of background processes that are allowed to run or not allowed to run.  For example, you can select “At most 2 processes” in the dialog box.  Then the current app and the two most recent apps you ran and switched away from are the only processes that can run at one time.  This should free up a memory on your device.
4) The Force allow apps on external setting allows you to install any application to the SD card, whether it was programmed to do so or not.  Keep in mind that sometimes there is a good reason the developer of an app blocked the ability to install the app to an SD card.  Some apps look for files in a specific place and the app won’t be able to find those files if it’s installed in an unexpected place.  If the app doesn’t work when installed on the SD card, be prepared to uninstall it and reinstall it on internal storage.
5) The “Force activities to be resizable” setting forces applications that don’t normally work in split screen to do so.  Split screen view might cause some apps to not work correctly.  This is usually because they have not been optimized for split screens.  Once you turn on this setting, you have to restart your device.  Theoretically all your apps will work in split screen mode.  Be prepared for some of them to not look too great or to crash.
6) The “Force Peak Refresh Rate” forces your phone to refresh at the highest possible speed.  This may increase battery usage.

These are just a few of the things you can do after enabling Developer Options.  If you are curious about the myriad of other options, do an internet search.  You will find many sites that will explain in detail what each option does.

Thanks for reading.

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National Call Registry (2019-11)

July 12, 2022 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

At last month’s monthly meeting, Lt. Brian Blache, a forensic computer examiner in the Financial Crimes Division of the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, gave an informative talk.  One of his comments was that if you don’t answer your phone, eventually you will get few scam calls.  I can attest that this is true.  For many years, if a caller isn’t in my contacts list, they are transferred immediately to voice mail.  I hardly get these calls anymore.  His talk also reminded me of a column I wrote for another computer club in April 2014.  It was my thoughts about the National Call Registry.  I hope no one will mind too much if I repeat it here this month.

Does anyone remember the Perry Mason television show that aired back in the 1950’s and 60’s?  Perry was a lawyer that had an extra phone line installed in his office.  The only people who had this second telephone number were his secretary and a private detective.  That way, when the phone rang, Perry knew it was important and would answer it immediately.

Here we are, sixty years later.  Almost everyone has a telephone they can carry in a pocket or purse wherever they go.  Isn’t technology great?  Now we can get a call almost everywhere we are.  Gone are the days of running to the telephone from the other side of the house, picking it up and hearing a dial tone.

Hardly anyone has to miss a call anymore.  You can answer it in the mall, behind the steering wheel, walking down the street or sitting on your throne.  How wonderful!

Unfortunately, behind every silver lining, there is a cloud.  It is so easy for telemarketers to program their computers to call you and everyone else that has a phone number.  Don’t you just love all of those interruptions?  Me neither.  I sure wish the government would save us.

Wait a minute!  I nearly forgot!  The government is already protecting us from unwanted calls.  On March 11, 2003, President George W. Bush signed into law the Do Not Call Implementation Act.  The law established the FTC’s National Do Not Call Registry in order to facilitate compliance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991.  This law is working so good that compliance complaints have increased every year except one.  You would think that complaints would decrease until unwanted calls are a thing of the past.

Could it be that people are complaining because of the law’s exemptions?  A person may still receive calls from political organizations.  Luckily for me, I don’t get any of those types of calls.

A person may still receive calls from not for profit organizations.  Once again, I’ve been lucky.  I don’t get any of those types of calls.

A person may still receive calls from companies with which he or she has an existing business relationship for up to eighteen months after their last purchase, payment or delivery from it.  I can’t believe how my luck is holding.  I don’t get any of those types of calls either.

My personal favorite exemption is that a person may still receive calls from companies conducting surveys.  Turns out that some of these companies call with a survey and then ask for permission to make a follow up call.  The follow up is an attempt to sell you something.  Guess what?  I haven’t gotten any survey calls.

Even though I have never registered for the Do Not Call list, I expect that my luck will continue to be pretty good.  I don’t really care who has my phone number.  If I receive a call from a number that isn’t in my contacts list, it goes straight to my voice mail.  When my phone actually rings, I know that it is a call I might want to answer.  Like Perry Mason, I don’t get calls from unwanted people.

Keep on clicking and thanks for reading.

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Buying an Android Phone (2022-02)

January 30, 2022 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

Every time I do an About Android Workshop, I’m asked for recommendations of which Android phone someone should buy.  My answer is always the same, “I don’t have the slightest idea.”  Depending on individual needs, buying the “right” electronic device is a decision that every person has to make for themselves.  This is the same advice that I give for buying or using almost anything: computers, cars, software, whiskey, etc.

What I can do is give my opinion on various products.  When I do, I usually mention that what is good for me isn’t good for everyone.  Apple iPhones are arguably the best that you can buy.  They aren’t for me.

If you’re buying an Android phone, the main thing to keep in mind is that Android is Open Source software.  This means that any individual or company can modify it to suit their needs.  This often results in “fragmentation” of the market.  Manufacturers can modify Android to add their own unique programs.  Cell carriers can do the same thing.  The Android Operating System on two phones of the same make or model can be different from each other.

If you’re in the market for an Android phone, there are several things you can look at before deciding what to buy.  There are many hardware decisions to make.  How important is it to have a SD card?  What is the best screen size?  Which processor should you get?  How unbreakable is the screen?  What sensors are in the phone?  Sadly, many people don’t answer these important things.  The only thing that concerns them is “How much does the phone cost?”

I can tell you about my personal preferences when I buy a new phone:
1) What is the manufacturer’s position on updates?  Google provides security updates on a monthly basis.  Some manufacturers don’t provide the updates.  Others may update several months later.  There have been instances of makers promising updates and then changing their schedules.
2) What is the return policy?  It seems like every time a new phone is released, there is some problems.  Often, all of the phones aren’t affected.  I want to know that if I get a lemon, I can easily replace it
3) An absolute must have in my phones is an NFC sensor.  Near Field Communication is what allows you to exchange date without contact.  The most common function is using phone for payments.  It was available on Android long before Apple Pay.  I went without the feature for a couple of years and realized how important it was to me.
4) I’ve also gotten to appreciate a fingerprint sensor.  Not all phones have one.  I’ve found that it is the easiest method for unlocking a phone.
5) How much memory does the phone have?  I used to only buy phones with an SD card slot.  I’ve found that it is not a big thing for me anymore.  I can easily store and read files on many of the cloud services.

I always buy my phones unlocked.  This simply means that they are not tied to any carrier.  Not only do I avoid having the provider bloatware installed on my phone, my monthly phone bill also is smaller because I am not paying for a “free” phone.

In conclusion, please remember these are my opinions.  I’m making no claim that they are best.  If you’re buying a new phone, make a list of what you need it to do.  Then research and find the one that’s right for you.

Thanks for reading and keep on clicking.

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Motorola Edge Review

February 7, 2021 Posted by Tiny

From the Dark Side
by Tiny Ruisch

Last time, I told you about how sad I was that I had cracked the screen on my Motorola Play phone.  The only companies I considered for a replacement were Google and Motorola.  The big advantage of a Google phone is that you get frequent security updates.  The comparative Motorola products tend to be a little cheaper.  I’ve replaced my phone with the Motorola Edge.

The Motorola Edge, not to be confused with the Edge Plus, has a list price of $699.99.  I bought mine for considerably less at Best Buy. For a mid‑range phone, the Edge has some pretty impressive specifications.

Network Technology: GSM/CDMA/HSPA/EVDO/LTE/5G
Dimensions: 6.36 x 2.80 x 0.37 in
Weight: 6.63 oz
Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame, plastic back
SIM: Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
Water-repellent coating
Display Type: OLED, 90Hz, HDR10
Resolution: 1080 x 2340 pixels
OS: Android 10
Chipset: Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G (7 nm)
CPU: Octa-core
GPU: Adreno 620
Memory Card Slot: microSDXC
Main Camera: Quad 64 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.72″, 0.8µm, PDAF
8 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1.12µm, 2x optical zoom, PDAF
16 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1.0µm
Video: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps
Selfie Camera: Single 25 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 0.9µm
Stereo Speakers
3.5mm Jack
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
Bluetooth: 5.1, A2DP, LE
GPS
NFC
FM radio
USB Type-C 2.0
Sensors: Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro and proximity
Battery: Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable
Fast charging 18W

The Edge is named because of the way the screen wraps around the side of the phone.  This gives the display a gorgeous look.  The wrap around makes the screen look like there are no bezels.  It seems to be larger than other phones of the same size.  The only problem with this is that occasionally a program is too close to the edge and is a little harder to use.  This can be easily changed in the settings.

All of the programs that I normally use run fast with no slowdowns.  I often listen to a podcast in the background while I either read a book or play a game.  Everything is snappy and a pleasure to run.  The 4500 mAh battery is more than enough to keep me running for about a day and a half.  It usually takes me about fifty minutes to charge.  I’m more than satisfied with my purchase.

Thanks for reading.

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A Fracture Made Me Sad

December 11, 2020 Posted by Tiny

From the Dark Side
by Tiny Ruisch

I’m so sad.  There are a lot of reasons I could be sad.  The coronavirus is keeping me from attending computer club and SubVet meetings.  I could be sad about how the elections were resolved.  I could be sad because Alex Trebek passed away.  Those things do make me downcast and blue, but that is not why I’m sad.

I’m sad because my cell phone now looks like my grandson’s.  There is a large spider‑web crack on the screen.  I’ve got to say that I’m not really surprised.  It was only a matter of time.  I have the habit of carrying my phone in my shirt pocket.  When I bend over, I occasionally forget it is there and it drops out.  My Moto G6 Play was a tough phone.  I’ve probably dropped it a couple of hundred times.  Actually, it still is a tough phone.  Even with a bad crack, it is still usable although the screen is hard to read.

I’m on the search for a new phone.  I’m fairly sure that it will be another one in the Motorola line.  They aren’t the fastest with updating, but I like the fact that there isn’t very much bloatware installed.  That is why I don’t buy my phones through the cell phone carrier.

One thing for sure is that I don’t plan to spend a lot of money for a high end device.  I don’t need the latest technology.  The only thing I really miss and want to make sure I get is NFC capability.  The search goes on.  I’ll be doing another review in the future.

Thanks for reading.

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Motorola Moto G6 Play Review – Originally Published August 2018

August 18, 2018 Posted by Tiny

From the Dark Side
by Tiny Ruisch

A couple of months ago, I mentioned that I was looking for a new pocket computers, excuse me ‑ I meant to say phone.  You would think the darn things would last more than four years.  My old Moto X Pure was definitely on a downward spiral.  The battery charge didn’t last very long and the machine often got almost too hot to hold in my hand.  Finally, when I dropped it for about the hundredth time, the screen cracked and it wouldn’t reboot.

One of the big problems with buying an Android phone is getting monthly security updates.  It just doesn’t happen unless you spend eight hundred dollars (or more) on the phone.  In my case, that just isn’t going to happen.  I decided to do what I’ve done in the past ‑ buy a reasonably priced phone.  When it ceases to get updated, I’ll root it and install a different Operating System.  Usually, that also gives a boost to aging hardware.

I decided to purchase the Moto G6 Play.  There are three versions of the phone: the G6, G6 Plus and the G6 Play.  If you’re interested in the differences, do your own web search.  I pick the Play mainly for three reasons:
1. It was the lowest priced;
2. It had the largest battery; and
3. It was in stock at Best Buy.  I needed a new machine pretty badly.

For a cheaper phone, the G6 Play has some pretty impressive specifications:
• unlocked for all carriers
• Android Oreo (with a promise of update to Android P)
• 5.7 inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen
• 720 x 1440 pixel Corning Gorilla Glass multi‑touch screen
• Quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU
• 32 GB internal storage, 3 GB RAM, microSD up to 256 GB
• 4000 mAh battery (fast charging)
• fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, gyrometer, proximity sensor, etc.
• and much more.

This the first phone I’ve had with a fingerprint sensor.  I didn’t think it would be useful.  Over the years, I’ve had a lot of burns and cuts on my fingertips.  My fingerprints don’t easily scan.  I set it up on this phone and it has been flawless.  The only time I’ve had to put in my PIN code is when I reboot the OS.  I sure hope I don’t forget my number.

This phone is sleek and looks good.  The Bluetooth, headphone jack, vibration, flashlight, fast charging, etc. are all adequate.  The camera which I seldom use takes OK pictures.  Judging by the advertisements I receive, the GPS sensor is more than adequate.  The battery has lasted the entire day for me.  One of the best features is the lack of bloatware.  I don’t think I’ll have to unlock the boot loader and root this machine.

There are a few things I don’t like about the G6 Play.  The power button is in an inconvenient spot.  The volume switch is on the right side of the phone and the power button is directly below it.  I often accidentally hit it.  A couple of times, I didn’t notice and rebooted the OS.  Another minor quibble is that there is no NFC.  I think I might have misread the specifications before I purchased.  NFC is available only on the European edition of the phone.  Android Oreo is installed on the phone.  Motorola has promised an update to Android P.  I’m not going to hold my breath.  Since they were purchased by Lenovo, the updates haven’t been reliable.  All in all, I’m pleased with this phone and hope to get another four or five years use.

Thanks for reading.

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A New Phone? – Originally Published February 2018

February 10, 2018 Posted by Tiny

From the Dark Side
by Tiny Ruisch

After almost two and a half years, it is time for me to start thinking about replacing my Moto X Pure smart phone.  I’ve finally broken the habit of saying “Pocket PC”.  I’m also thinking of breaking the habit of getting a high end phone this time.

I don’t use my phone the same way that I did five or six years ago.  You may remember that back in November 2013, I gave a presentation to the club on how to use your cell phone as a computer.  I attached a powered USB hub to my phone and installed a full sized keyboard, mouse, storage drive, etc.  I then demonstrated many common tasks like word and photo editing, web browsing, playing games and more.

In 2018, I use my phone much differently.  My number one use is listening to audio books and music.  This is followed closely by playing games.  I’m pretty picky about which games.  I usually only have about eight of them installed.  I also use my phone to read magazines (about 20 a month) that I’ve checked out from the library.  I don’t read too many books on my phone as I’ve found it easier to use my tablet for that task.  I don’t know why I’ve never purchased a dedicated e‑reader.

I’m in the advanced looking stage.  I really like my Motorola (Lenovo) phone, but they were usually pretty slow with their monthly security updates.  They were often two or three months behind.  My machine was recently updated to Nougat 7.0 with an Android security patch of October 1, 2017.  I don’t expect that I will receive any more “official” updates.

I would like to get the Google phone, but I can’t justify spending a thousand dollars or more.  The same goes for Apple products.  People that know me can tell you why Sony is off any list of products I am buying.  I used to buy Samsung phones.  They have always made good products with great specifications, but they got to the point where there was so much “junk” software installed that I had to spend hours rooting the phone and getting into a usable (for me) status.

I’ve looked at One Plus phones but they don’t work with all of the Sprint bands.  Even if it was a usable phone for me, I have pretty much concluded that they are neither a responsible or reliable company.  They have done a lot of dubious things since their first phone release.  Do you remember when they first started selling the phone?  It was by reservation only and if you were female and sent a picture, you went to the front of the line.  Then there was the take a video of smashing your old phone.  Most recently, they lost a lot of credit card numbers.

It is looking more and more like I’m going to try and get another year out of my Moto X Pure.  I have started to notice that the battery needs charging more often.  Of course, it is not easily replaceable.  Maybe by then manufacturers won’t be modifying the Android OS.  Isn’t technology fun?

Thanks for reading.

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Downgrading My Phone? – Originally Published June 2017

July 5, 2017 Posted by Tiny

A Pain in the Whatchamacallit
By Tiny Ruisch

A couple of years ago, I gave a demonstration at both computer clubs on replacing your computer using your Android phone.  At the time, I was using a Samsung Galaxy Note 2.  I connected a powered USB hub and was able to run USB drives, flash drives, mouse, keyboard, etc.  Everything worked fine.  I opened and edited several word files, spreadsheets, images and others.  Two years later, there’s quite a few reasons I don’t do those things much anymore.

Samsung has just released the Galaxy S8 for around $800.  Of course that is the minimum price.  The price will be much higher with more memory and needed accessories.  Many reliable rumors indicate that later this year, Apple will release the iPhone 8 for $1000 or more.  It seems that every year, smart phone prices increase much more than specifications.

In another year or so, I’ll be looking for a replacement for my Moto X Pure.  I’ve been thinking that when the time comes, my next phone isn’t going to be as “smart”.  One of the reasons is security updates.  Although Motorola promised timely security updates, they haven’t been reliable.  As I write this, my last monthly security update was December, more than four months ago.  They promised an Operating System update to Nougat.  After almost nine months, there is still no affirmation when or if I’ll get it.  I believe that is unsatisfactory for a phone that is only about two years old.

This is not just a Motorola problem.  All of the Android manufacturers do the same.  For a year or so, updates are frequent when you buy an unlocked phone.  If you buy through a carrier, your chances for needed updates are even worse.

Another big problem with using your smart phone is the applications situation.  Although there are mobile applications that work well, they don’t seem to be updated with new and useful features.  Many of them tend to be stripped down versions of their PC counterparts.  With the ever increasing power of mobile processors and graphics cards, this is unsatisfactory.  Part of the problem may be due to the different mobile app pricing process.  If an app is priced more than two or three dollars, it is often perceived as unacceptable.  These lower prices are often offset by “data mining” our private information.  Although this also happens with PCs, it is definitely more ubiquitous on mobile devices.

In the past year, I’ve been using my phone less and less for real production work.  Although I can readily edit word documents, there are many things that I just can’t easily do.  An example is scanning and editing old club Newsletters.  There’s a good possibility that my next “smart” phone will be a little dumber than my Moto X.

Thanks for reading.

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Clueful for Android – Originally Published June 2013

July 26, 2014 Posted by Tiny

From the Dark Side
by Tiny Ruisch

I’ve written before about one of the real pains of using the Android operating system on your pocket computer.  When you install or update an application, it is important that you check the permissions to make sure the application doesn’t do anything that might be nasty.

I’ve found a 1.6 mg application that will help you monitor the software installed on your device.  The Clueful Privacy Advisor is a free program from Bitdefender.  It monitors all of your installed applications and gives you detailed information about what they do in the background.  Other apps of this type that I looked at usually just check and give you a list of permissions for your installed software.

Clueful goes a step further and reports on what your applications are actually doing.  It does this by keeping a database of apps on a remote server and examining the apps on your device.  It then calculates a precise and personal overview of how vulnerable you are.  You can evaluate and take appropriate actions for each installed app.

Whenever you download a new application from the Play Store, you get your normal notification that it was successfully installed.  You also get a notification from Clueful letting you know of any risks in using your new application.

On an interesting side note, the iOS App Store has removed Clueful Privacy Advisor.  Many tech bloggers have speculated that this was done because the program was too good at identifying applications with privacy problems.  I’ll not give my opinion.  Instead I’ll just suggest you do an internet search and decide for yourself.

Here is one interesting (at least I thought it was) user comment I copied from the Google Play Store User Reviews Section:

Reviewer – It reports their own anti-virus tool in the “slightly dodgy” section 🙂
Bitdefender replied on May 22, 2013
We consider it’s only fair to our users to give clues about all installed apps with no exception!  Some apps have legitimate reasons to access your data in order to run properly.  It’s up to you to decide if a certain app represents a privacy threat for you.

You can download the Clueful Privacy Advisor from the Google Play Store. Give it a try. The price is free.

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