15 Helpful Tips and Tricks for Samsung Galaxy S6 / S6 Edge

Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are by far the best Android smartphones that Samsung has ever made. These flagship phones are a step ahead of anything else on the market right now in terms of style and performance.
Furthermore, they also have many awesome features that really make them stand out. Some of them are familiar from previous Galaxy S phones, some are new entries from Samsung, and some come courtesy of Google’s latest Lollipop-flavored Android 5.0 release. If you are own S6, the following tips and tricks will help get the most out of it.

Quick Camera Launch

Samsung Galaxy S6 has an awesome camera. To make sure you never miss a shot, the Camera app now has a Quick Launch option which is turned on by default. Just double press the ‘Home’ button and you’ll be ready to fire the shutter in an instant.
To turn this feature off, open the Camera app and tap the ‘Settings’ icon and then toggle ‘Quick Launch’ to off.

Smart Alert

Samsung includes a new feature called Smart Alert in the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge. Once enabled, your device will vibrate the next time you pick it up to let you know if you have any missed call or unread message. This feature is turned on by default so if you wish to play around with it go to Settings > Motions and gestures > Smart alert.

Change Your Phone’s Theme

Samsung Galaxy S6 comes with the ability to let you choose whichever theme you want. This basically changes your wallpaper, icons, system apps, and UI (User Interface). You can change the theme by going to the Settings > Themes, then choose one of the default themes.
There are three themes on the S6 by default, but you’ll find lots more via the Store link at the top right of the Themes page. There is also a theme tool on the way which will enable you to create your own themes.

Customize your Home Screen Grid

By default the home screen grid on your Galaxy S6 is 4×4, but you can change it up to 5×5 if you want to add more app icons and widgets to your home screen. To do that, just long press on an empty space on your home screen and choose Screen grid on the leftmost.

Customize Quick Settings

Quick setting is used to access the mostly used apps easily. You can customize this quick setting by going to the Settings menu. Open Settings and you’ll see some pre-populated apps at the top. Tap the Edit button and put check marks next to those which you want to appear. You can add up to 9 links of your choice.

Set Up Fingerprints

Like last year’s S5, the Galaxy S6 Edge has a fingerprint sensor built into the Home button, but it has been vastly improved. Now you can just lightly press it to have your print recognized — no more swiping.
The fingerprint registration process is very simple and only takes a few minutes. To add fingerprints, go to Settings > Lock screen and security > Fingerprints. You can add up to four fingerprints by tapping repeatedly on the sensor.
Remember to tilt your finger back and forth and place different parts of it on the sensor. This will help the system to recognize you more easily and reliably. Also make sure to get the very tip of each finger.

Remove Briefing Screen

Samsung previously called this feature ‘My Magazine’, but this year it has been renamed to ‘Briefing’. It is a Flipboard-powered news feed app that is turned ON by default. If you don’t want to display the Briefing on your home screen, you can disable it by long pressing on the home screen and then scroll over the briefing panel. There is a checkbox above that. Just uncheck the box and briefing will be disabled.

Enable Download Booster

Having debuted on the Galaxy S5, Samsung’s Download booster feature is also available on the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge. It combines both your Wi-Fi and LTE connections into a singular force, allowing you to download files larger than 30MB even faster. To enable the feature, go to Settings > More Connection Settings > Download Booster and turn it ON.

Enable Do Not Disturb mode

If you’ve used phone with Lollipop, you might already familiar with this feature, but Samsung has its own version. With these settings you can control when you get notifications. To get started, go to Settings > Sounds & Notifications > Do Not Disturb.
If you turn on Do not disturb mode, there is an option to allow exceptions. If you don’t allow any exceptions the phone will be completely silent. You can also set up a schedule to automatically enable Do not disturb at a specific time every day.

Night Clock (S6 Edge Only)

Night Clock is a cool feature found on the Galaxy S6 Edge which shows you a clock right around the edge of the phone.
This feature does use up a little bit of your battery so you are probably want to keep it on when you are on a charger. To turn the Night Clock feature on, go to Settings > Edge Screen > Night Clock.

Edge Lighting (S6 Edge Only)

This is another feature that is only available on Galaxy S6 edge. Once enabled, it gives lightning to its edge screen when you receive calls or notifications while your phone is turned over.
One cool thing about Edge lighting is that you can set it up so that the screen color changes based on which of your contact is calling you. To enable Edge lighting, go to Settings > Edge screen > Edge lighting. To assign light coloration to specific contacts go to Settings > Edge screen > My people.

Enable Ultra Power Saving mode

Ultra power saving mode allows you to get the last drop of energy from your phones battery
When this mode is enabled, it switches the phone to a black and white interface and disables most background activities. You’ll still be able to take calls, send messages, and use a few important apps. You can set Battery Saver to automatically turn on at any level between 15-50%. To configure it, go to Settings > Battery > Power saving mode and turn it ON.

Disable Built-in Apps

Even though Samsung has reduced the amount of built-in apps in Galaxy S6 edition, but it still have a bunch of bloatware that you don’t really need them. Instead of having to see all the unwanted apps in your app drawer, you can now disable or remove them from your phone.
To do that, go to the app drawer and tap the Edit button, then tap on the minus icon on the app that you want to remove. Any app that does not have a minus icon on the top right can’t be removed.

Enable Multi Window mode

The Galaxy S6 also comes with a Multi window feature that allows users to run two apps at the same time. Apps that support Multi Window will have a small twin rectangle icon in the corner when you have the app switcher open. You can tap on that button to move the app to the top half of the screen, then pick another app for the bottom half. When you’re done, just press Back button to leave the Multi Window mode.

Take a Screenshot on Galaxy S6

There are two methods that you can use to take a screenshot on Galaxy S6 and S6 edge.

1. Swipe your palm across the screen from right to left. You can turn this feature on or off in Settings > Gestures and Motions > Palm Swipe to Capture.
2. Press and hold both the ‘Power’ and ‘Home’ buttons at the same time.

Once you have succeeded, your screen will flash and a preview of your screenshot will appear in your notification bar. You can access screenshots in an automatically created ‘Screenshots’ folder in your Gallery app.

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Samsung Rolls Out Android 5.1.1 Lollipop Update for Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge

Samsung has started rolling out the new Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update for its Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge smartphones. According to SamMobile, the new Lollipop update brings some new features, bug fixes and performance improvements.
One of the biggest changes that come with the Android 5.1.1 is a more simplified exposure control in the Camera app, which lets users focus on their subject and then use a simple slider to adjust exposure.
In addition to that, the update also introduces a “parallax” effect for wallpaper, which allows the wallpaper to move behind your app icons to deliver a 3D-like effect. You can see it demonstrated in the hands-on video below from SamMobile.
Some other changes found in Android 5.1.1 include the ability to remove S Finder and quick connect buttons from the notifications section. The overall performance of the smartphones is getting improved as well.
The rollout starts with T-Mobile’s model in the US. If you live in the firmware supported region, you can manually check for the update from Settings -> About phone -> Software update.

With the rollout already having started in the US, it should not take too long for it to become available over the air (OTA) for the international model.

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Top 5 Best First-Person Shooter (FPS) Games for Android

FPS games, also known as First-Person Shooter games, are one of the most popular games played on both game consoles & PC as well as mobile devices. They are basically 3D shooter games that have a first person point of view. This kind of games are highly engaging and always keep the players on the edge.
The Android now has some pretty awesome FPS games that are available on the Google Play store. If you’re looking for some great first-person shooter games, we’ve curated a list of 5 FPS games that will give you the best and real shooting experience on your Android phone or tablet.

1. Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour
   
   Modern Combat 4 is by far one of the best first-person shooter (FPS) games on the Android platform. It features a stunning graphic and awesome gameplay, bringing the best shooting experience on your mobile device. As with previous titles in the series, Zero Hour comes with both single campaign and multiplayer mode. In the campaign mode, player will play the role of a US soldier who will fight with a newly emerged group of terrorist and save the world. There are plenty of missions in the single-player campaign, with numerous game types available, such as Battle, Team Battle and Capture the flag. Players can customize six different classes with slots available for primary weapons, secondary weapons, attachments for both, grenades, equipment and a perk.
   The multiplayer mode allows up up to 12 players who divide up into 6v6 battles. There is a new specialization system with redesigned skills. It also has an online leaderboard with a new ranking system. If you are a hardcore game lover, you would definitely like this game.
   This stunning game is currently cost you $6.99 and it requires about 1.9GB data download so make sure your device has enough free space before purchasing this game.
   Price: $6.99
2. N.O.V.A. 3: Freedom Edition
   
   N.O.V.A. 3: Freedom Edition is another best FPS game that has both a competitive online mode and an extensive campaign mode where you’ll have to face an alien invasion. The game’s main story will take you through 10 different episodes that take place in several planets, from planet Earth, in a state of chaos and destroyed by war, to the frozen city of Volterite in the center of the galaxy. All the game’s setting are quite reminiscent of titles like Halo and Crysis 3.
   Gameplay is not limited to jumping and running through different scenarios. You can also drive vehicles and command different fighting robots to exterminate your enemies. You’ll also have special abilities that you can use to attack your opponents.
   You can choose from six different online modes to fight against players from all over the world and it supports up to 12 players simultaneously.
   Price: Free
3. Blitz Brigade – Online FPS fun
   If you are looking for a multiplayer FPS gaming experience, then try out Blitz Brigade. It features team based gameplay where you can team up with players from across the globe. Like Zero Hour, Blitz Brigade allows up to 12 players to battle at the same time. You can choose from 5 different classes to fight with. These include Soldier, Gunner, Medic, Sniper, and Stealth.
   The game has over 100 deadly weapons to choose from, and each one of them is designed for a specific class so make sure you choose the one most suitable for you. It also supports voice chat so you can plan your strategy during the game.
   Price: Free
4. Frontline Commando: WW2
   
   Frontline Commando WW2 is Glu’s latest installment in the Frontline Commando series, and is the sequel to Frontline Commando: D-Day. As the name suggests, WW2 takes place in the throes of World War II. In this game, players participate in the battle for Europe. There are more than 180 missions that players must complete in order to progress through the game. The types of missions include Assault, Sniper, and Rocket Launcher, and many more. This game offers various powerful weapons that you can use to eliminate your enemies, including machine guns, sniper rifles, rocket launchers, flamethrowers, etc. Frontline commando WW2 is free to play, but you can decide to pay real money for some rare items and weapons.
   Price: Free
5. Dead Trigger 2
   
   Dead Trigger 2 is the zombie shooting game continuing from the first version Dead Trigger. In Dead Trigger 2, you have to survive and protect the human existence from an ocean of zombies that try to abolish humans. But, what makes this version different from the first installment is it includes multiplayer mode. Also, the game’s story develops in real time for all players and the effort of every player counts. Apart from that, this second version also has elevated graphics, enhanced ragdoll physics and bigger levels to explore more places. Like the first version, it supports cloud save via your Madfinger account, so you can play on multiple devices and pick up where you left off.
   Price: Free

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New Android Wear Update Will Include Interactive Watch Faces and More

Reports suggest Google will release an update to its Android Wear platform that brings some interesting new features. According to Phandroid, the new update to Android Wear will add support for interactive watch faces with improved gesture controls. Specifically, the interactive faces will include a new “single tap gesture” that lets users mount a variety of tasks. This includes make an aesthetic change, toggling between different states on the watch, changing the displayed information or even launching a new activity by tapping on an icon.




Furthermore, to avoid conflict with the way the watch face is activated in Android Wear, which is currently done by tapping anywhere on the screen, Google will be changing the way the watch face is activated in the upcoming update. Instead of tapping anywhere on the screen, users will access the launcher via a simple right to left swipe on the screen.
It is worth mentioning that some watch faces available on Google Play are already have the single tap gesture. However, they do it using a hacked method that can lead to system conflict. With the launch of interactive watch faces, Google will now officially support the single tap gesture.
Additionally, the upcoming update may bring in a new watch-to-watch communication feature called Together. This feature will allow Android Wear users to send messages, stickers, doodles and emojis to one another.
Phandroid notes, however, that the feature seemed limited to a single watch face. “It’s not known if this feature will launch as a system application or stay tied to this particular watch face,” reports Phandroid. “The former would be very unintuitive as users would have to have the watch face selected to send and accept messages from one another.” But the report notes that their information is “quite old” so hopefully the feature will be extended to all watch faces by the time the new update is ready.
Another notable addition to Android Wear is the new Wi-Fi capability which will be introduced to owners of LG G Watch R. While this feature was ruled out when Android 5.1.1 arrived on the LG device, users should be happy to know that they are finally getting the Wi-Fi functionality through an OTA update soon.
Google originally planned to launch the update on July 28. However, the company is changing the date to any day in August.

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5 Best Free Fighting Games for Android

Fighting games are a popular action game in which two on-screen characters engage in one-on-one combat. They are often feature special moves that are triggered through rapid sequences of button presses and joystick movements. These kind of games are very fun to play and challenging too.
There are many fighting games that are available on the Google Play store. If you are looking for some great action fighting games, here’s a list of 5 best Android fighting games that will get your blood flowing.

1. Shadow Fight 2
   Shadow Fight 2 is a unique fighting games that you can enjoy for free on your Android phone. The unique thing about this game is that it has no actual character graphics, instead, you are provided with a beautiful 2D environment along with a colorful fighting style. You will explore many moves in this game as you play along for instance back flipping off your enemies, running up walls, etc. There are a number of game play modes: There is a ‘story’ mode, where you have to fight a series of increasingly difficult opponents on your way to fight the ultimate demon boss. There is also a sudden-death-style mode where you take on wave after wave of enemies, duel mode, and a tournament mode where you have to defeat increasingly tough characters.
   This freemium game is really enjoyable to play and is definitely one of the best fighting games for Android. I would definitely recommend downloading it to your phone.
   
2. Injustice: Gods among Us
   Injustice Gods Among Us is among the best fighting games available on Android. It features an extensive cast of DC comics heroes that you can use to fight against other DC comics heroes. In this game, you will take part in a 3-on-3 three battle where you have to play with default rooster and then collect the whole massive superheroes collection. Each character has their own set of moves, stats, and super abilities. You can level up your characters and unlock its unique moves as you progress farther into the game. There is also a multiplayer mode where you can take on real opponents.
   The game play is fairly simple, mainly made up of tapping and swiping on the screen to perform your various attacks. It’s a really good game and it’s free to play.
   
3. Real Steel World Robot Boxing
   Real Steel World Robot Boxing is an interesting fighting game for Android. In this game, you will play as a robot to fight one-on-one against other robots. There are over 24 robots you can play as, including Atom, Zeus, and Twin Cities. Each character has their own special skills and advantages, so choose the robot to suit your style of battle. As you fight and win, you will earn Real Coins and Real Gold, which allow you to purchase, upgrade, and change the color scheme of your robots. There are also a range of playing modes such as Championship, Time Attack, and Free Sparring, where you can earn Real Gold to spend on upgrades.
   
4. Punch Hero
   Punch Hero is another boxing game that features a 3D cartoon-style graphics. The interesting thing about this game is that you can use real faces for characters, so if there’s someone you’ve always wanted to punch, you can add their faces and punch them as many times as you like. Furthermore, you can customize your character with things like sun glasses and facial hair. There are three modes to test your different skills. It’s a really fun game for those who like to play free fighting games on Android.
5. The King Of Fighters-A 2012
   If you like classic fighting games, The King of Fighters 2012 should be on your list of titles to download. It is the latest installment of the King of Fighters series. This game features a really good old school graphic and 2D fighting style system. There are 32 characters that you can play with and you can play with your friends using Bluetooth multiplayer. It is an awesome game and will keep you entertained for many hours.

This was our selection of the 5 best free fighting games for Android. If you have any other favorite fighting game that is not on the list, please share with us in the comments below.

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10 Useful Android Tips And Tricks You Should Know

Whether you are new to Android and eager to try out every available option you see on the screen, or familiar with the system, including the annoyances that plague you on a daily basis, tips and tricks to get around a system is always helpful. We are here to help you with that.

In this post, we are featuring 10 useful Android tips and tricks that may improve your experience while using your Android device. Do note that the steps may vary a little from one Android phone to another due to the differences in the build and the OS version, but if you play around with it, the next step isn’t too far off.

Recommended Reading: 10 Tips To Tighten Security On Your Android Device

1. Disable App Notifications

Bugged by annoying app notifications that just keep coming? If you don’t know already, these app notifications also drain your phone’s battery. If you want to turn them off, and you are on Jelly Bean 4.1 and above, here’s how:

1. On any of your unwanted notifications in your notification bar, long press on the notification for a message box to appear.
2. Tap on App Info > Untick Show Notifications > OK.

2. Disable Mobile Data

Whenever you don’t need to stay connected, disabling the Mobile Data can help keep your smartphone battery from draining too quickly. Turning off mobile data is as easy as:

1. Going to Settings > Data Usage.
2. Disable Mobile data by toggling the setting from ON to OFF.

Read Also: 10 More Tips To Conserve Your Smartphone Battery

3. Set Mobile Data Limit

Want to keep track of how far your usage is from your monthly mobile data limit? If you have ICS and above, there is a feature which lets you keep track of how much of the quota you have left.

1. Head over to Settings > Data Usage.
2. Set your data limit by dragging the orange line to reflect your monthly quota.
3. Set your data usage cycle based on when your "month" starts and ends, and you’re done.

You will be alerted once you hit the limit you have set. Note that the tracked data usage of your phone may vary slightly than your carrier’s tracking.

4. Add Multiple Google Accounts

You need a Google account to use an Android phone but did you know you can choose to run more than one Google account on your Android device. This is convenient if you use more than one account for several of your Google services. To add multiple Google accounts:

1. Go to Settings > Add account.
2. Select Google and setup your New or Existing Google account.
3. Once added, choose what you want to sync with the account.

Repeat all the steps above if you want to add more accounts.

5. Disable automatic App Updates

Prefer to read through app permissions and manually pick which app updates to adopt? You can, but first you need to disable your automatic app updates. Here are the steps:

1. Open Play Store and head over to Settings.
2. Tap on Auto-update apps.
3. Choose Do not auto-update apps.

If you want to enable the auto updates, follow the same path and choose Auto-update apps at any time or via Wi-Fi (available for certain Android devices only).

To update your apps manually, just open Play Store, and on the main page swipe in from the left and tap on My apps. You can tap on apps with pending updates and update them manually, or if you like to update them all at once, just tap on Update All.

6. How To Check For android System updates

For Android users that are using stock ROM, you may want to look for new updates to your system. To check for updates:

1. Go to Settings > About phone/tablet.
2. Tap on System updates.
3. Tap Check now to look for system updates.

7. Changing Default Apps

If you have already set some default apps for particular tasks (e.g. using Chrome for opening web links) but wish to change this:

1. Go to Settings > Apps.
2. Swipe right and look for the All tab.
3. Select the app you want to remove as default.
4. Tap on Clear defaults.

8. Organize Homescreen Shortcuts With Folders

Once you have a lot of apps installed, your homescreen might be filled with app shortcuts. Unlike the app drawer, the apps on your home screen are not arranged alphabetically. So, you might want to create some folders for your homescreen shortcuts.

1. Assuming you have more than a handful of shortcuts already on your homescreen, long press on any of the shortcuts and drag it onto another shortcut.
2. A circle should now appear around the apps, indicating that a folder has been created.
3. By tapping on the newly created folder, a mini window will pop up with your apps in it.
4. You can drag and drop additional apps into the folder if you like. You can also rename the folder by tapping on the text area at the bottom of the mini window.

9. Disable Animations

Here’s a tip on how to make your Android device run a bit smoother: disable its animations. You will need to have access to Developer Options which can be found under Settings or About device.
Note: For some phones, you may need to go to Build number and tap on it repeatedly until you see "You are now a developer!". Developer options are now enabled.
Under enabled Developer options, look for Window animation scale, Transition animation scale, and Animator duration scale. Then, turn them off (disable) them one at a time.

10. How to Turn Off Auto-Correction

Hate the fact that your phone is going English teacher mode on you? Turn off auto-correction for peace of mind when texting.

1. Go to Settings > Language & input.
2. Tap on the settings icon next to the keyboard that you are using, e.g. Google Keyboard.
3. Look for Auto-correction and tap on it.
4. Select Off to turn auto-correction off.

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