With new phones from HTC, Samsung and LG getting rave reviews, now is a great to time consider the switch to Android.

With Android you get the choice of loads of different designs, price points and manufacturers and Android is customisable so you can make your phone suit your lifestyle.

Here’s how to make most of your Android phone: http://www.android.com/phones/

Battery savings

Running out of juice and still an hour from home?

  • The latest Android phones running our Lollipop operating system have a battery saver feature which extends device use by up to 90 minutes. Click on battery in settings, click on the menu and turn it on
  • You can also get handy battery stats – the estimated time left to fully charge is displayed when your device is plugged in and you can get the estimated time your device has left in battery settings
  • You can also charge most Android phones with any micro USB cable — you don’t need the specific cable from that particular phone manufacturer

Never lose a photo

Fed up of that message saying you don’t have any more room for photos on your phone? Or worried about losing special memories if you lose your phone? Turn on auto backup.

  • Automatically back-up your photos and videos to Google+ by turning on Auto-Backup
  • Open the Photos app, touch the menu button and select Settings. Touch Auto-Backup and switch the toggle On

Multiple users

Has your friend lost their phone and desperately needs to make a call? Or want to let your kids watch a film on a long car journey?

  • If you forget your phone, you still can call any of your friends (or access any of your messages, photos etc.) by simply logging into another Android phone running Lollipop. Also perfect for families who want to share a phone, but not their stuff.
  • You can also use Guest user for phones and tablets so you can lend your device but not your info

Save your thoughts, wherever you are

When you have a brainwave while running but don’t have anywhere to write it down, use Google Keep to create notes quickly and easily

  • Keep syncs your notes to Google so that you can access them virtually anywhere: on your Android phone, tablet, an Android wearable, through a Chrome app and on the web
  • To start using Google Keep on your Android device, open the Google Keep app and sign in with your Google account
  • If Google Keep is not already on your device, you can download it via Google Play

Just say the words

Use your voice to get things done

  • Say “OK Google” to ask a question, send a text, set a reminder, get directions or whatever you need to do

Tap and Go

Don’t spend hours downloading all of your apps and settings to a new phone

  • If you’re switching from one Android phone to another, Tap & go will instantly set up of your new Android phone or tablet by simply tapping it to your old one (requires NFC). Transfer settings, apps, look in one tap during set-up

Caller ID

Want to know who’s calling before you pick it up but don’t have the number stored as a contact?

  • Using Google’s search database it can now tell you who is calling even if you don’t have their number

Customise

Don’t accept the norm. Customise your phone

  • Change the wallpaper displayed on your home screens, organise apps in folders and add widgets to view your most important information at a glance
  • To change your wallpaper, touch & hold anywhere on a home screen that’s not occupied. Touch the Wallpaper option and you’re ready to choose the one that you want
  • To add widgets, touch & hold anywhere on a home screen that’s not occupied. Touch the Widgets option and you’re ready to choose the one that you want to add
  • To create a folder, touch & hold an app icon and slide it on top of another app icon

Make your phone work for you

Get the information that you want when you need it most with Google

  • To view the Google Now cards that are waiting for you at any time, like the weather and directions to your next meeting, open the Google app and scroll down to see all of your cards. You can also access the Google app by swiping up from the home button

Find your phone if lost

If you’re frantically searching round the house for your “lost” phone, just type “find my phone” into Google on your laptop and it’ll show you where it is (make sure you follow the instructions below first).

  • Android Device Manager can help you find, lock and erase your phone if you lose your Android device. To use Android Device Manager, you only need to add your Google Account to your device
  • Open the Google Settings app on your device and touch Android Device Manager. By default, the option to remotely see your device’s location when using Android Device Manager is activated. Here you can also activate the option to remotely lock your device, erase everything on it or change the lock-screen passcode
  • Accessing Android Device Manager’s options is also possible on the web at com/devicemanager or by using the Android Device Manager app in the Google Play Store

 
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