Database Info

Android tips and tricks (new)

Avoid task killers
It is best to avoid task killers such as Advanced Task Killer. Android is designed to automatically pre-load certain applications, even if you don't load them yourself. If it starts to run low on memory, it will smartly unload the oldest running apps automatically.
Manually killing tasks will only mean they get loaded in memory again. Task killers can make the phone slow, laggy, or drain battery life more quickly.
Bookmark a contact on your homescreen
To bookmark a contact on your homescreen, long press on the home screen background and select Shortcuts. Then select Direct dial.
If you call someone regularly this can be useful as you will have a shortcut to them handily placed on your homescreen
Bookmark a web page on your homescreen
To bookmark a website on your homescreen, go into your browser and find the bookmark of the page you want to create a shortcut for.
Then long press on the bookmark and select Add Shortcut to Home.
If you regularly visit certain websites, this can be handy as you will have a shortcut to the site on your homescreen.
Create folders to tidy your Apps
If you find yourself with too many Apps on the homescreen, then you can create folders to organise them.
To start, simply press and hold on an App and drag it over the top of another App. The App should change colour/shape. Then release your finger and the two Apps will be combined into a folder.
You can then drag more Apps into this folder using the same process.
To give your folder a label, simply long press on the folder and you will be able to enter a name.
Double tap for a full stop (period)
While typing emails or notes, you can simply tap the space key twice and the phone will insert a full stop / period
Install new keyboard to improve accuracy
The standard Android keyboard is good, but not great. There are many third party keyboards available which will improve your typing speed and accuracy.
Go to the Android Market and search for 'Keyboard' to see some great alternatives, many of which are more accurate and make typing much easier.
A good one is GoKeyboard.
If you see a warning saying the keyboard will collect all information (including credit cards) just ignore this. This is just a security feature that Android shows for every third-party keyboard that you install.
Accents and special characters
If you want to type non-English letters (eg those with an accent), long-press on the relevant letter. A list of options will appear for you to select.
Access the scientific calculator
To access the scientific calculator, rotate the phone to landscape mode.
The calculator will change to a scientific one
Add email or phone number from text
To add an email or phone number to your contacts from a text message, you can long-press on the email / phone number. Then select Add to contacts
Add widget to the homescreen
To add a widget, go to the homescreen and press the Apps icon (the circle with 6 dots). Then you will see a list of your Apps with the word Apps and Widgets at the top. Press Widgets, then you will be presented with a list of available widgets.
To add a widget, press and hold on it and then position it where you want
Android Easter egg
There is an Easter egg hidden in the Android operating system. To see it, go to your Homescreen, then press Menu - Settings - About phone.
Then tap on the Android version option 5 times and you will get a surprise.
Sometimes it doesn't work, so try a couple of times. By the way don't expect to see an actual Easter Egg. That is just the name given to things hidden inside software or operating systems.
Auto focus the camera
When taking photos or videos, tap the screen where you want to focus on. The phone will automatically adjust the settings to improve the image or video
Bring up more predicted words
If you have word prediction enabled while you are typing, you can long press the middle word that is suggested. This will bring up a menu allowing you to select various other suggested words.
Browse websites in full-screen mode
If you want to browse in full screen mode, without the URL bar at the top of the browser, then you can enable this..
Open the standard browser and press Menu - Settings - Labs. Then put a check mark under Full Screen .
To get access to the browser options (that are now invisible), there is now a neat hidden menu. Slide your finger in from the left or right of the screen. A circular menu will appear with various options.
Capture a still shot while recording video
To capture a still shot while recording a video, simply tap the screen while you are recording.
This will save a still image.
Change keyboards
To change keyboards (if you have additional keyboards installed), you can switch between them by pressing the small keyboard symbol in the top left of your screen. You will need to be in keyboard input mode (i.e. typing something) for this to work.
Note: you need to have more than one keyboard installed for this to work
Change quick response texts
The phone has the ability to send quick response text messages if your phone is ringing but you can't answer it.
To change these, go to your Dialer App - Settings - Quick responses. You can only have 4 of them and you may need to edit existing ones.
Change the backlight screen timeout
To change the backlight screen timeout, go to Settings - Display - Screen. Then choose the screen time out duration.
You can also tell the phone screen to always stay lit when it is plugged in via USB. Go to Settings - Developer Options. Then check Stay Awake.
Change the screen brightness
To change the screen brightness, start from the Homescreen and press Menu - Settings - Display - Brightness.
Then choose the desired brightness setting. You can also select Automatic brightness to let the phone decide for you.
If you have auto-brightness enabled, you can also press, hold and slide the top notification bar left and right. The brightness will increase and decrease accordingly.
Check phone status and battery usage
To find out information about Signal Strength, Network Information, Remaining Battery Time and Battery Usage (by Application), go to your Homescreen - Menu - Settings - About Phone.
Check the firmware version
To check your firmware version, start from the Homescreen and press Menu - Settings - About Phone- software version
This should list your Android version, Build number and Model Number.
Copy files between your phone and PC using WiFi
To copy files between your phone and PC, go to the Android Play Market and download an app called AirDroid.
This is an extremely useful App that connects your phone to your PC wirelessly, allowing you to move files and many, many other things.
Copying iTunes songs to Android
If you have decided to ditch your iPhone in favour of Android, then there is a simple way to take your iTunes music, playlists and album art with you.
Simply go the Android Marketplace and download a Free App called Easy Phone Tunes. You will also need the computer version of the software, so go to http://easyphonetunes.com and download it from there.
Then, when that is done, turn your phone into a USB storage device (this will vary from device to device, but instructions are on the website).
Once your phone is connected to your computer, open the computer version of the software and select your device from the Easy Phone Tunes list. Then follow the instructions to Sync your media
Create folders in your Quick Launch bar
If you have used up all of your Quick Launch spaces, then there is a trick.
Once it is full, press and drag an App from the homescreen and move it over the top of an App in the Quick Launch area. Then release your finger. This will create a folder containing the original App plus the new one. This is a great way to have access to regularly used App
Create shortcut to websites on your home screen
To create a shortcut to a website on your homescreen, go to your browser bookmarks.
Then long press on a site and select Add shortcut to Home
Customise your favourites tray
At the bottom of each homescreen is your favourites tray, which consists of 5 icons. You can customise it by adding icons to the tray. If it's full however, you will first need to remove some.
To remove an icon, simply press and hold an icon. Then drag it to your desktop.
Then to add a new one, simply drag an icon from your homescreen to the favourites tray.
Enable / disable vibrate / haptic feedback when you type
To disable / enable vibrate (also called haptic feedback) when you type or press the screen, go to Settings - Language & input - Settings.
Then uncheck Vibrate on keypress.
Enable sideload of Apps
If you want to install Apps outside of the Android Market (called sideloading), then go to Settings - Security - Unknown sources.
Note: use at your own risk.
Help, I have forgotten my unlock pattern
If you have forgotten your custom unlock pattern, then don't panic.
After 5 unsuccessful tries a button should appear saying 'Forgot pattern'. Press this and you will be asked to enter your Gmail username/password.
The phone will then ask for a new unlock pattern. If you don't have a Gmail account, then you might have to either call your carrier or factory reset your phone.
Hide folders or files
If you want to hide folders or files from being index or displayed, simple put a . (full stop / period) before the file or folder name.
Make volume / music louder
WARNING: Making your volume or music louder can damage your hearing.
Most phones have their volumes limited by local laws to protect our hearing. There is a way to boost your volume however. Go to the Android Market and download an App called Volume+ (Sound Boost). There is also a free version called Volume+ Free.
You will need to root your phone for this App to work.
Make your phone run faster
Here are the top 5 tips to make your phone run faster:
1) Use only essential widgets on your homescreen - each widget consumes memory and processing power which can slow your down your phone.
2) Uninstall apps that you don't use - after awhile your phone can get cluttered as some Apps are designed to always run in the background. If you rarely use an App, then uninstall it to free up memory and CPU resource.
3) Install Apps to your phone memory - if you have an SDCard, always install Apps to the phone memory, which can be accessed faster. If you have Apps on the SDCard, then move them back to the phone memory with an App called Move2SD available from the Play Market.
4) Use Static rather than Live wallpapers - Live wallpapers consume processing power and memory. Unless you really must have them, uninstall them.
5) Kill tasks occasionally - Some Apps will run in the background indefinitely unless you kill them. Most of them won't cause a problem, but it pays to check your running tasks from time to time. Hold down your Home key and check the Task Manager.
One last thing: Don't use Task Killers. Android manages tasks very well and Task Killers just make your phone unstable and can slow it down further
note this guide is mainy to help the people who didnt recieved a manual instructions booklet along with their phone like my country(INDIA)
SUPPORT THE SOFTWARE DEVELOPER'S IF YOU LIKE THE GAME / APP BUY IT

Wow thanks! Im gonna uninstall my task killer now.

Good job! Some of this are well known but many aren't so it should be sticky subject for all who are coming into Android from wherever hey are coming.
The taskkiller part should be put in red

Another one: manage your contacts in gmail. It is bscked up accesible from anywhere and so convenient. Much easier to edit from the computer after all.
Sent from my GT-I9100T using XDA

Awesome thread op. Thank you very much!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium

The calculator one only applies to the HTC calculator. In the AOSP on you swipe to the right to access advanced functions.
Sent from my HTC Wildfire using xda premium

nejc121 said:
The calculator one only applies to the HTC calculator. In the AOSP on you swipe to the right to access advanced functions.
Sent from my HTC Wildfire using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes i have htc one v soo made a compilation of what has been known to me and what is facts
if anyone with new tips pls post here soo tht i can add to the op to help others
and also a request pls statehow to take screen shots on your device's because it's different on each device
dont just say thanks hit thanks if i helped
a true lfc supporter
and a former symbian lover
sent from my awesome HTC One V running rc 2.0 by CKPV5 -using xda premium
SUPPORT THE SOFTWARE DEVELOPER'S IF YOU LIKE THE GAME / APP BUY IT

Thanks paarthdesai. Did not know about the 'double spacebar to get a period'.
Another software to connect to computer is 'Software Data Cable'.
---------- Post added at 12:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:11 PM ----------
Is there a way to save the dictionary on the sdcard and restore after full wipe/flashing custom rom?

the guide which I look for..sometimes I tend to forget small things and this guide could recall back

paarthdesai said:
yes i have htc one v soo made a compilation of what has been known to me and what is facts
if anyone with new tips pls post here soo tht i can add to the op to help others
and also a request pls statehow to take screen shots on your device's because it's different on each device
dont just say thanks hit thanks if i helped
a true lfc supporter
and a former symbian lover
sent from my awesome HTC One V running rc 2.0 by CKPV5 -using xda premium
SUPPORT THE SOFTWARE DEVELOPER'S IF YOU LIKE THE GAME / APP BUY IT
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stock ICS screenshot is Vol- and power.
I think some HTC phones have home and power
Sent from my Ainol Novo7 Elf using xda premium

k1p2n3g4 said:
Thanks paarthdesai. Did not know about the 'double spacebar to get a period'.
Another software to connect to computer is 'Software Data Cable'.
---------- Post added at 12:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:11 PM ----------
Is there a way to save the dictionary on the sdcard and restore after full wipe/flashing custom rom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
backup the dictionary app via titanium backup app+ data
that should work
dont just say thanks hit thanks if i helped
a true lfc supporter
and a former symbian lover
sent from my awesome HTC One V running rc 2.0 by CKPV5 -using xda premium
SUPPORT THE SOFTWARE DEVELOPER'S IF YOU LIKE THE GAME / APP BUY IT

Very nice tips. Add one more, use Greenify App which silently hibernate your apps. It can save much battery and memory. A must have app.

Thanks

Handy tips
Thanks for the handy tips. Didn't know you could double tap for a full stop.
Should also include a homescreen icon for some websites. =]

Thanks! That task killer thing is really interesting!

[app 2.1+] Search based launcher - open source

Effective & simple & open source with minimalistic appearance.
Features:
- Run applications fast: when is search narrowed down to only one application, it can be automaticaly started (Autostart button).
- NEW - Recent apps always on top of the search and well visible.
- Eliminate need for various apps: add any activity of any app on your device to list of apps (e.g. Wifi settings, ...).
- Get rid of un-unistalable apps: hide any app from list of apps adding it to the hide list.
- Improve readability of your list of applications: rename any app however you like.
- Stay focused: icons of apps and wallpapers are not displayed. This also improves response.
- Search naturally: The space character " " is mapped to the "any set of characters". (i.e. in terms of REGEX " " is replaced with "*." ) This feature is demostrated on the screenshot.
- Advaced search using REGEX.
- Includes basic widgets (wifi, blue tooth, cam)
Note:
-NEW - To access menu without menu button search " Menu-Launcher" item.
-I have lost my keystore so I will have to create this update as new version on Google Play
Last update:
12.10.2012
NEW Google Play Link
If you like this app buy me a coffee - PayPal Donate going to following donate PayPal link

Thanks for this. Installed on my Verizon Galaxy Nexus running CM10. How do I get the activities to show up?

menu
use menu key and choose.
there is still some unusual memory take up. But I will make it soon under 1MB. sorry for that. will be fixed

mrWax said:
use menu key and choose.
there is still some unusual memory take up. But I will make it soon under 1MB. sorry for that. will be fixed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have a menu key. The menu soft key doesn't appear.
No worries about the memory.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

button savior
Well you could install button savior if u have root access. Or I could put "menu-open" into the list of applications. Do you have some proposal, how to solve this?

I'm not sure why it doesn't appear. I don't have this problem with other apps. Perhaps it's being rendered off the screen?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

future without menu button
i have gathered more info about this and it looks that I will provide you with alternate solution, because it is suggested that developer should not use menu button any more for 3+.
Options are:
.menu button between other widgets
.menu button in all lists as item - searchable

I'm happy to try test versions if it would help.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

One of a kind launcher!
Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2

on halt for another week
project is unfortunately still on halt since i have moved and started my PhD and do not have notebook yet.

Update to version 2
NEW Features:
-BIG jump in effectivity - Recent apps are listed first and have "R:" before their labels!
-devices without menu buttons can access menu via searching " Menu-Launcher" item in all the list!

white background?
mrWax said:
Effective & simple & open source with minimalistic appearance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just perfect for me.. thank you! i use this as my default launcher on my phone. i tend to use only minimalist apps. and white text on black background is optimum!
i now also have a nook simple touch ereader. and eink prefers black text on white background. could you add reverse colour, as an option perhaps?

[APP][ICS & JB]WidgetShade FREE v1.80

I present here a new app. WidgetShade Free!
★With WidgetShade you can have your widgets always on hand. Just use the "+" button , or long press any empty space to add a widget. WidgetShade can be called at any moment and will show as an overlay over your active application.
To call WidgetShade you have three options.
-Tap the app icon.
-Tap the notification in the notification bar (can be disabled)
-Use the trigger area (can be disabled)
The trigger area is a white and blue zone that by default appears at the bottom right of your screen, but it can be configured. Tap it or slide your finger over it to activate WidgetShade. In the application settings, you can change the position and size of the trigger area, its visibility, or completely disable it.
IMPORTANT
To avoid android from closing WidgetShade when it runs out of memory, you have two options.
-Enable "Show notification" in the options ; or
-Go to Android Settings, then to Accessibility and enable WidgetShade
Enabling the accessibility service will prevent WidgetShade from being closed. It will not access any personal information, even if the standard android warning says that it may do that.
Widgets shown in the screenshots: Digical, Elixir2, Eye in the sky, retroClock, Gmail, and Top Contacts. These are independent applications, downloadable from the Play Store and I am not related to them in any way.
I will publish this on the Play Store this week, but I wanted to offer it here first. The PRO version will have extra features (extra pages, button bar can be hidden and configurable background opacity).
Please send feedback!
Get it on the Play Store!
WidgetShade Free
History
-------
v1.00
Intial Release
-----
v1.01
Fixes tablet layout
-----
v1.10
Added root option: Android requires 5 seconds to start any Activity after home is pressed. With this option, rooted phones can skip this 5 second wait.
-----
v1.20
Tablet FC should be fixed now. Sorry for all the updates, I don't have the devices to test the program. I depend on user feedback.
-----
v.130
Lots of changes!
-Many parts redone.
-Better Layout (Now defaults to 5 rows x 5 columns)
New in Pro:
-Can choose number of rows and columns.
-Can create Shortcuts to each of the 5 screens.
-----
v.132
-Fixes FC on very High res phones, like Sony xperia Z.
-----
v.140
-Shortcuts can be named
-Shortcuts can have custom icon (PRO only)
-Resizable button bar (PRO only)
-Better trigger area activation (Only responds to swipes, not to taps, but can be configured)
-Vibration on trigger area activation (can be disabled)
--------
v.150
-Improved root compatibility
-Improved trigger: Horizontal swipe to open widgetShade, vertical swipe to move trigger, long-press to open settings.
-Configuration app added to app list (PRO only)
-Option to completely disable the bottom button bar (PRO only)
-------
v.160
-Fixed small FC bug
-Fixed small Preferences bug
-More precise transparency options for trigger
-More precise transparency options for background (PRO only)
-More precise vertical position for trigger
-Vertical swipe and long-press for trigger can be disabled now
-------
v.170
-Translated to Spanish and Catalan.
-Options for trigger area more configurable: Now you can choose what to do on tap, long-press, and swipes.
-Added "Contact the developer" option.
-Slightly improved layout.
-Added License verification to avoid piracy (PRO)
--------
v.180
-Translated to Italian by Davide Baraglia
-Three diferent opening anitmations
-Option to tap on empty space to exit WidgetShade
-Back and settings button can be swapped, to fit Samsung (and other manufacturers) scheme
-Small bug fixes

Just downloaded. Can't wait to see what it'll do.
Sent from my SCH-I800 using xda premium

Another practical and useful app from you! I don't have a widget I always need to be able to activate, but I think the idea is really good. It's easy to configure and set up to work properly. So a good job from you, even though I don't personally have a need for an app like this.

Multi-tasking via widgets = awesome.

I added a update that should fix tablet layout. It changes nothing on phones, so you don't really need to update if you are using a phone.
Thank you for testing it!

Cooooolll...!

Another home run
Sent from my Synergized SCH-I535 using SwiftKey via XDA Premium

greatdaneduke said:
Another home run
Sent from my Synergized SCH-I535 using SwiftKey via XDA Premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you

New version!
v1.10
Added root option: Android requires 5 seconds to start any Activity after home is pressed. With this option, rooted phones can skip this 5 second wait.
I hope I don't have to update this very often. I'm quite happy as it is now
EDIT: I checked it and FC on tablets, on landscape orientation. I'll try to fix it tomorrow.

New version
v1.20
Tablet FC should be fixed now. Sorry for all the updates, I don't have the devices to test the program. I depend on user feedback.
I received report of text showing as squares in widgets. How many of you have this problem? Which device do you have? Which android version?
Thank you all!

New version 1.3b
Hi!
I completely rebased the program, so now the grid looks nicer (The number of rows and columns). It is now a 5x5 grid, because for some phones you were getting weird grid values like 4x2 or 4x3.
I hope you like it

Great app. Reminds me of that Mac OSX feature that does this same thing. Will definitely buy (once I get money). Cool.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Premium HD app

Really like where this app is heading. Reminds me alot of Intelliscreenx when I was using the iphone. waiting for a revision or 2 before getting the pro app to support. A suggestion maybe? How about an option for setting a trigger for when the notification shade is down, swiping left and right would activate the widget shade?

davtse said:
Really like where this app is heading. Reminds me alot of Intelliscreenx when I was using the iphone. waiting for a revision or 2 before getting the pro app to support. A suggestion maybe? How about an option for setting a trigger for when the notification shade is down, swiping left and right would activate the widget shade?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is a good idea, but unfortunately I can't do that. The notification shade always stays on top of everything. This means that I can't capture events when it is down. However, you can enable the notification, which activates WidgetShade when tapped.
If you have more suggestions, let me know. I really appreciate feedback, and I try to implement all the suggestions I receive.

Fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

dapaua said:
It is a good idea, but unfortunately I can't do that. The notification shade always stays on top of everything. This means that I can't capture events when it is down. However, you can enable the notification, which activates WidgetShade when tapped.
If you have more suggestions, let me know. I really appreciate feedback, and I try to implement all the suggestions I receive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bought the pro to support. Is it possible to implement a slide to trigger option? the tap to trigger can sometimes be abit disruptive (if the trigger area is too big) or hard to use if we make the trigger area smaller.

davtse said:
Bought the pro to support. Is it possible to implement a slide to trigger option? the tap to trigger can sometimes be abit disruptive (if the trigger area is too big) or hard to use if we make the trigger area smaller.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll try to do this. This was the original intention, but I assumed that tap was okay.
You are right, sometimes I also tap the trigger area by mistake.
Thanks for your support. I hope you enjoy the added features of the pro version.

@Dapaua:
Good app. I just gave it a try, and decided to log in only to reply to you!
Here are the list of my drawbacks (mainly in UI).
1- The trigger button you need to do something with it!
I would be happy if it's possible to trigger it with long pressing (I think this is easy to implement).
2- The virtual buttons are annoying (I already got capacitive buttons to start with), and it really takes some space.
Back button on capacitive could replicate the same functionality of the virtual one, also long pressing works fine (no need for "+"). The only thing is remaining a way to enter the settings menu).
Basically, I am trying to say give us an option to remove the floating buttons on the screen.
3- A slider to better control the high/length of trigger button & transparency.
Basically, focus more on the UI aspect and you will be good on selling this app.
Good luck.

neuTrue said:
@Dapaua:
Good app. I just gave it a try, and decided to log in only to reply to you!
Here are the list of my drawbacks (mainly in UI).
1- The trigger button you need to do something with it!
I would be happy if it's possible to trigger it with long pressing (I think this is easy to implement).
2- The virtual buttons are annoying (I already got capacitive buttons to start with), and it really takes some space.
Back button on capacitive could replicate the same functionality of the virtual one, also long pressing works fine (no need for "+"). The only thing is remaining a way to enter the settings menu).
Basically, I am trying to say give us an option to remove the floating buttons on the screen.
3- A slider to better control the high/length of trigger button & transparency.
Basically, focus more on the UI aspect and you will be good on selling this app.
Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the suggestions.
1.What exactly is wrong with the trigger button? I am now implementing an option to only respond to swipes, and not to taps.This avoids the accidental triggering. It should be ready in a few hours (It's done, needs testing). If the problem is that it is ugly, it can be made transparent. If it is something else, tell me. I like getting feedback.
2.I agree that removing the button bar is a good idea, but I think this would be a PRO version thing. I already have an idea of how to change settings without the button bar.
3. This is a good idea, but first I want to concentrate in the core functionality. But I will implement it eventually.
I am just starting with this, I hope that in the end it will be a good program.

New version.
v.140
-Shortcuts can be named
-Shortcuts can have custom icon (PRO only)
-Resizable button bar (PRO only)
-Better trigger area activation (Only responds to swipes, not to taps, but can be configured)
-Vibration on trigger area activation (can be disabled)

[APP][2.1+] Appsi sidebar, a plugin supported sidebar application

September 13th
Today I released Appsi 1.5. This release includes the following new features:
1. A new (100% free and a part of Appsi itself) page in the sidebar with support for
- App widgets in the sidebar
- Home plugins (Appsi specific plugins, more below)
- DashClock extensions
2. Full freedom in placing the hotspots and the amount of them.
3. Fast scrolling support
4. More cutomizations and look & feel options
5. Music player controls (with special thanks to xda member Dr.Alexander_Breen for his excellent guide)
.. And a lot more.
September 4th (beta 1.4.21):
It's been a while and I think it is time to give you all a little update on what's going on behind the scenes in beta. I am working on fixing the issues that are left and hope to release the upcoming version as Appsi 1.5 soon.
I have got tons of new cool features coming up. To name a few:
1. A new (100% free and a part of Appsi itself) page in the sidebar with support for
- App widgets in the sidebar
- Home plugins (Appsi specific plugins, more below)
- DashClock extensions
2. Full freedom in placing the hotspots and the amount of them.
3. Fast scrolling support
4. More cutomizations and look & feel options
5. Music player controls (with special thanks to xda member Dr.Alexander_Breen for his excellent guide)
.. And a lot more.
The Home Plugins are small extensions to the home tab/plugin. The are small plugins you can add to the home tab in Appsi. They can be used to show things like, missed calls count, launching certain intents and a lot more. There is an open source sample project with docs on Github. And there's some instructions right here.
If you are looking for screenshots, take a look in the G+ beta community.
July 30th: Version 1.4 released
Last weekend I updated Appsi to version 1.4
New features:
1. Customize the size of the text and icons
2. Change the spacing between the items
3. Global search
4. New icon
July 15th: Version 1.3.3 in beta.
Very small amount of changes for this beta. Moving to production on 18th if no issues arise.
1. Option to minimize the notification. (no icon and smallest possible notification, no extra actions etc)
2. Bug fix for android 4.0.3 and 4.0.4 devices, causing crashed with hardware acceleration enabled.
3. Fix issue with long texts on items in the sidebar when there is a title and a description. The title will now also have ellipsis.
July 13th: Version 1.3 released.
Today I moved version 1.3 from beta to production. The following changes are probably going to make 1.4:
Improved search: Search through all apps, even if the section is disabled. If you have plugins, search will include all results from all plugins.
Live folder support in Appsi (add a live folder as if it is a plugin)
If you have a suggestion, just let me know.
Also I will add new translations once they have been completed. This is just a matter of time. If you would like to help out, pm me.
July 6th: Version 1.3 beta released.
I just finished uploading the new beta version of Appsi to Google play. This new version contains the following new features:
Proper favorites manager
Contextual action bar to perform actions on long press.
Switch plugins by swiping left or right on the sidebar
Updates to all plugins for the contextual actions
Fixes:
Fixed a bug in the icon caching mechanism
This is a beta release, so for now only accessible for beta testers (wanna be a beta tester? let me know). This version will most likely move to production within one week.
July 1st: version 1.2.4 was released
Although it may not sound like a big update, This version adds support for the following new features:
* transparency in the sidebar
* the ability to choose a background image for the sidebar
* Choice between light and dark theme
* Improved the way to get the data from the plugins.
* Improved user experience, especially for new users.
Special thanks go out to all the people helping with translations and beta testing. Thank you very much!
See https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appsimobile.appsi for the Google play listing.
Appsi sidebar is a sidebar application for android. It comes with an embedded App plugin (more about that later) that allows you to see all your apps and add your favorite 5 apps as favorites.
It supports 3 distinct gestures when opening the sidebar, by default they will all open the sidebar normally. The gestures are moving horizontally after touching the hotspot, moving up or moving down. For each of these you can set the action to perform, these actions are:
- open the sidebar (default)
- open favorites swiper
- open recents swiper (needs plugins with recents)
- open plugin swiper (swipe to the plugin you'd like to open and then open the sidebar)
The swiper is the same as what you might know from other apps (like swipepad), it allows you to open something with one single touch, by moving your finger from the sidebar to the item.
The hotpot is either on the left or right side of the screen, it can be positioned manually and can be as big as you want.
Thanks to the wonderful people on this forum Russian translations have been added in the latest version. Also simplified Chinese has been added. I'd like to know what you all think about this app
Appsi is plugin based (and supported). This means it allows you to buy plugins to extend the functionality. This is not needed for normal operation, but it will add more types of things you can add as a sidebar.
You can either add a hotspot for each plugin, or use one hotspot for all plugins. The opened plugin can be changed by tapping the title of the sidebar.
If anyone has suggestions or improvement, either for plugins or Appsi itself, please let me know.
Download link for Appsi 1.5:
Appsi 1.5 release

Hello everybody,
If there are people out here that would like to test the app and provide feedback that would be great. I am open to suggestions and have a list of upcoming features. One of the features I just released as beta is the ability to change the alpha and to set a background for the sidebar. And the ability to be always up to date with the plugins (no need to load the data when the sidebar opens)
So if you'd like to do beta testing, send me your Google account (e-mail address) and I'll add you to the testers list.
If you do not want to test the beta version but would prefer to test the current version, that will also help very much.
Any feedback will help.
Thank you all!

If I'm right, this sidebar uses a service as "sidebar", doesn't it?
All other apps I've seen start up an activity if you touch the gesture area. If you press the home button and try to launch an activity from the gesture area, it has a 5 second delay.
So that's a really good thing.
Overall UI looks pretty good, which makes the users first thoughts about the app very positive.
ActionBar in the sidebar is awesome and usefull.
Logo isn't the best I've seen, you could improve that.
This is my opinion 4 seconds after installation.
Edit: search bar is very usefull
Sent from my Nexus 4 running Android 4.2 JB

I will try it ASAP and report.
I tried a lot already.... almost all to be honest, and i stick right now to a cryptic one but which really work well. Can be used for inspiration, so here it is (and i am not advertsing, ok. It is just for reference as this one is relly unknown) : overlay launcher.
Gonna install your app and report from my of course subjective point of view.
Cheers

Really like it thus far! Would it be possible to make it easier to switch between plug ins, I.e, when the sidebar is open instead of going to the top to switch plug ins, maybe you can swipe left and right within in the sidebar to switch between plug ins. It will make it a lot easier to use instead of going to the top.
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app

It is mandatory to add an option to dismiss notification from the notification panel... It's way too big, and it is very annoying for me!
App works really well indeed, and I'm looking forward to try a couple of plugins!
Keep up the good work mate!
Galaxy Note II - Alliance Rom

jlo20431 said:
Really like it thus far! Would it be possible to make it easier to switch between plug ins, I.e, when the sidebar is open instead of going to the top to switch plug ins, maybe you can swipe left and right within in the sidebar to switch between plug ins. It will make it a lot easier to use instead of going to the top.
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 for this feature as well! That would be REALLY GREAT!!

mDroidd said:
If I'm right, this sidebar uses a service as "sidebar", doesn't it?
All other apps I've seen start up an activity if you touch the gesture area. If you press the home button and try to launch an activity from the gesture area, it has a 5 second delay.
So that's a really good thing.
Overall UI looks pretty good, which makes the users first thoughts about the app very positive.
ActionBar in the sidebar is awesome and usefull.
Logo isn't the best I've seen, you could improve that.
This is my opinion 4 seconds after installation.
Edit: search bar is very usefull
Sent from my Nexus 4 running Android 4.2 JB
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! Yes I know I'll ask try to find someone to do some icon design later on. Will become better. I am focusing on improving the usability right now and other performance improvements. They are all in beta now, and if no more issues are found in these versions, I'll be putting this beta to production.
jlo20431 said:
Really like it thus far! Would it be possible to make it easier to switch between plug ins, I.e, when the sidebar is open instead of going to the top to switch plug ins, maybe you can swipe left and right within in the sidebar to switch between plug ins. It will make it a lot easier to use instead of going to the top.
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good suggestion, I will add this to my list.
cyberpunk627 said:
It is mandatory to add an option to dismiss notification from the notification panel... It's way too big, and it is very annoying for me!
App works really well indeed, and I'm looking forward to try a couple of plugins!
Keep up the good work mate!
Galaxy Note II - Alliance Rom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, the problem with this is running as a service. Android will kill the app if it needs resources. I have tested it and it will kill it quite often and restart it within a few moments. I can add an option (a discouraged one) to disable running as a foreground service. I can also suggest the user to disable notifications for the app if running on jelly bean, and take them there. Another thought was the ability to set a 100% transparent icon so that it does not show up in the notification bar.
The upcoming version (current beta) adds the following features:
custom backgrounds on the sidebar
light and dark theme (dark theme is the current theme, light is like holo light)
better synchronization between appsi and the plugins. (less data loading needed and better user experience)
Improved getting started experience (visible hotspots until the user disables it and an arrow showing how to open the sidebar once the hotspot is touched)
For the next version (after the current beta), I will add the following features for sure:
Favorites manager: Manage the favorites in a proper way and allow for an unlimited amount of favorites.
Navigating between plugins with a simple swipe.
and possibly:
integration with live folders
widgets plugin (already working on this)
Thank you all, and if you have any more ideas or suggestions, please let me know!

May I add something to this already rich and awesome list?
I would REALLY REALLY LIKE to have the possibility to add shortcuts to the apps plugin (as I can do on the launcher screen, for example). That would be really helpful!!
...Maybe also an option to change app icons and names, and a way to hide the "X" for apps removal (which I find quite ugly, this function might be moved to a separate and specific menu to add/remove things maybe?) ?
you may also think about offering an "all plugins package" at a discounted price, rather than having to buy all plugins separately (which, btw, makes the sum of all prices quite high). So that the user can choose if selectively buy the only one or two plugins he needs at their actual price, or directly going for the full thing.. I hope it's clear what I mean!
Cheers and keep up the good work!!
Should you need some beta testers... You know where to look
Galaxy Note II - Alliance Rom

cyberpunk627 said:
May I add something to this already rich and awesome list?
I would REALLY REALLY LIKE to have the possibility to add shortcuts to the apps plugin (as I can do on the launcher screen, for example). That would be really helpful!!
...Maybe also an option to change app icons and names, and a way to hide the "X" for apps removal (which I find quite ugly, this function might be moved to a separate and specific menu to add/remove things maybe?) ?
you may also think about offering an "all plugins package" at a discounted price, rather than having to buy all plugins separately (which, btw, makes the sum of all prices quite high). So that the user can choose if selectively buy the only one or two plugins he needs at their actual price, or directly going for the full thing.. I hope it's clear what I mean!
Cheers and keep up the good work!!
Should you need some beta testers... You know where to look
Galaxy Note II - Alliance Rom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, the favorites manager will at first be used to replace the current way of adding and removing the favorites. But later on it will also be improved to allow changing names and icons. Also I am planning to do something with icon themes, I still need to determine how and what, but a new theming format is not what I am aiming for (we are talking several releases in the future now)
Shortcuts is definitely on the list of to-dos for the apps plugin. I can't say yet when it will be added but it is something that will definitely be there in the future.
Well beta testers are always very welcome. The XDA Android app testers community is a good starting point, https://plus.google.com/communities/100406373096097711894 . If you join this group and opt-in for beta testing at https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.appsimobile.appsi you'll be able to get the beta version. I still need to add this community to the plugins, I will update my original post with the details when it is done.

Appsi sidebar is well beyond 1000 downloads from play store! Yay!
I really recommend this app guys, try it out and you'll see that it is even more comfortable to use than it looks!
Note 2 N7100 - Alliance Rom - Perseus Kernel

jlo20431 said:
Really like it thus far! Would it be possible to make it easier to switch between plug ins, I.e, when the sidebar is open instead of going to the top to switch plug ins, maybe you can swipe left and right within in the sidebar to switch between plug ins. It will make it a lot easier to use instead of going to the top.
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
cyberpunk627 said:
+1 for this feature as well! That would be REALLY GREAT!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This feature is included in the beta that was released today. I loved it from the moment it worked. Very good suggestion

Today the beta was moved to production. See the original post at the start of the thread for the changes

Very cool app and working great so far.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

New Beta release, for all of you who want the notification icon gone, it is in beta now!

I'm joining this too.
Gonna try out.
Keep the good work.
PMoto

New version released, 1.4 see original post for details

Newest version is great!! An awesome improvement, really!! Appsi is becoming more and more polished and feature rich, while staying lightning fast. Can't think of anything better!!
Now we only need some more theming options, like changing icons (as we do on launchers like nova, apex...)
Cheers and keep up the good work!!
Note 2 N7100 - Alliance Rom DMA6 - Perseus Kernel

Appsi crashing
Firstly, after 24 hours of using Appsi, I have to say that Appsi has become one of my favourite apps. It is well done and provides needed functionality.
However, from time to time Appsi freezes and the only way to get the sidebar back is to force close the app from the application manager and then restart the app.
I'm using CM 10.1 (Android 4.2.1) on Samsung S3.
Any idea why this is happening?
Cheers,
Eran

eranhor said:
Firstly, after 24 hours of using Appsi, I have to say that Appsi has become one of my favourite apps. It is well done and provides needed functionality.
However, from time to time Appsi freezes and the only way to get the sidebar back is to force close the app from the application manager and then restart the app.
I'm using CM 10.1 (Android 4.2.1) on Samsung S3.
Any idea why this is happening?
Cheers,
Eran
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never ever had a freeze or FC on Alliance Rom.. Maybe the problem you have is only tied to aosp roms and not stock or derivative ones?
Note 2 N7100 - Alliance Rom DMA6 - Perseus Kernel

[APP][4.0+][30 Oct. - V1.5] Kronia Browser

Kronia Browser allows you to access the Internet with a fast and simple browser.
Keep opened more pages at time and quickly switch pages with tab navigation
Using side panels you can access and manage opened tabs, history and bookmarks in every moment
Simply manage your history, or even disable it for incognito mode
You can find your existing bookmarks from Android default browser, thanks to bookmark synchronization
Easily close tabs or delete bookmarks swiping them
Switch tabs with two fingers side swipe
Read comfortably with scrolling text in page titles
Long press an element to display specific actions, as saving an image or add a link to bookmarks
CHANGELOG
v1.5
*NEW* Added history
*NEW* Sync bookmarks with default browser
*NEW* Options to hide pages count and to clear history and cache
Added page menu dividers
Fixed thumbnails behavior
v1.4.1
*NEW* Swipe from left margin to access pages, right for bookmarks
*NEW* Option to resize sites text
*NEW* Choose whether to open bookmarks in new tab or in current
Play Store, Youtube links now redirects to app
Exit button moved to page menu
French translation (thanks to Ajael44)
v1.4
*NEW* Swipe from left margin to open side panel
Delete bookmarks swiping them
Forward button added to page menu
Settings button moved to page menu
Added current tab indicator
Bookmarks opens in current tab
Page menu button hides when hardware menu button is present
v1.3.1
*NEW* Search in page
*NEW* Added close button in side panel
Changed app name
Keep desktop mode
Bug fixes
v1.3b
Added desktop mode
Enable/disable plugins setting
Bug fixes
v1.3
*NEW* Switch tabs with two fingers side swipe
Corrected address bar layout
*NEW* Menu in address bar with new action "Share link"
Page text is now selectable
Corrected some labels
Bug fixes
v1.2.4
Improved address bar behavior
Decreased tab previews height
Speeded up pages-favourites animation
v1.2.3
Edited colors of side panel to fit app style
Added new settings for zoom
Address bar hiding swiping page
v1.2.2
Changed some graphics in Google Now style
Larger side panel
Improved some actions
Bug fixes
v1.2.1
Changed home button icon
Bug fixes
v1.2
Address bar moved to bottom and auto hiding
Added home button on address bar (temporary icon)
Long press back button to close the app
Added localization support
Now you can google from the address bar
v1.1.1
Added fullscreen option
v1.1
Added download support
Show page URL on title hover
v1.0
Initial release
DOWNLOAD

I like it very much but I dislike the fact that it zooms all the pages, I would like an option to disable that, and that address bar keeps annoying me, please do something
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

Thanks for the reply! This was my first app so I surely need help. Now I see what I can do.. Any tips?

Okay, I have updated the app adding some settings to control the zoom. Also I have removed auto hiding the address bar to hide only when page is scrolled up. The update will be avaiable soon!

Any other suggestion for my app? Please remember to rate!
Sent from Galaxy Nexus

Up!
Sent from Galaxy Nexus

funny how i found this browser,
i was thinking about a similar layout and i was going to learn coding for it
keep up the good work
a thing that i do think should improve is the gesture to call out the address bar, sometimes it's a bit inaccurate

Hi, yes I'm working on this while I'm thinking about other changes... Thanks for your support and please rate me! I will continue to improve it
Sent from Galaxy Nexus

you did not just updated that ) wow so fast good job! I like it very much now, really, all of it. just a suggestion, two fingers swipe - navigate through tabs?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

ooh yeah sorry for being a bug, make the address bar auto hide after some time when you reach the bottom of the page, I can not click the desktop site
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

Yes, I' ve found this bug after last update... Good idea! Now I' m working on this.
For the swiping tabs I think it requires some work but hey! If I will be able to do this it will be amazing!

Ok, I think I fixed the address bar behavior... the update will come in few time.

Another day quick note, varg, i think there should be a share button for sharing the link.
Regarding the layout this what I was thinking, rather then swipe left or right for backwards and forwards, swipe left for tabs and navigation
Swipe right for bookmarks?
That's just what I was thinking it's your app do it your way
Great work so far
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

shubu000 said:
Another day quick note, varg, i think there should be a share button for sharing the link.
Regarding the layout this what I was thinking, rather then swipe left or right for backwards and forwards, swipe left for tabs and navigation
Swipe right for bookmarks?
That's just what I was thinking it's your app do it your way
Great work so far
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, a share button will be so simple yet so good! I think I will implement this in today' s update.
Regarding the swipes, I think I will mantain this layout (for now), because this browser started with the idea that with simple swipes you can navigate backwards and forwards, but surely I may want to merge this with your suggestions in future! Thank you so much for your comment and keep following this thread for news

Great updates today! v1.3 is coming with many changes, thanks to you.
This is the changelog:
v1.3
*NEW* Switch tabs with two fingers side swipe
Corrected address bar layout
*NEW* Menu in address bar with new action "Share link"
Page text is now selectable
Corrected some labels
Bug fixes
Let me know if you like the new version!

wow so fast good job! I like it very much now, really

Thanks for the share button
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

I have a few ideas but I think they are a struggle to make them
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

chossen said:
I have a few ideas but I think they are a struggle to make them
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don' t worry, at least I put them in my ideas list! Do you want to send me a PM?

sent it
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium