Smartphones come with a lot of features you may never find hidden in your settings. And that doesn’t include all of the apps you can download to give it additional functions. To get the most out of your smartphone, here are some of the most unique and useful smartphone tips and tricks:
Smart Lock
Passwords, PINs and unlocking patterns can be difficult to remember and annoying to enter every time you want to do something on your phone. Google has made this a little easier with its Smart Lock feature. You can set trusted devices, such as your smartwatch, and trusted places, such as your home, to keep your phone unlocked and easy to use. Smart Lock also lets you store your usernames and passwords in Chrome so you don’t have to enter them every time you go to a certain website or launch an app.
Motion Launch
Although this feature isn’t new, it is one that you may not be taking advantage of. In your phone’s settings you can set up different motions or button combinations to open your most used apps or phone features. For example, HTC smartphones have a motion launch to quickly open the camera app by picking up the phone in portrait mode and pressing the volume button. Another useful motion launch is to answer a call by simply bringing the phone up to your face. There are many other motion launch options that vary depending on the type of smartphone you own, so take a look at your settings and identify the best motions you can use to launch your most-used features.
Block Your Number
Have you ever wished that your number didn’t show up when you were calling someone? Well, lucky for you there is a way to block your number from showing up on Caller ID. T-Mobile has a step-by-step guide to help you block your number:
Dial *67
Input the number you want to call
Press the call button
Voila! You’re done.
Hardware Attachments
Motorola’s Moto Z has a unique hardware design that lets you snap on different backings using special magnets to give your phone different and enhanced features. For example, you can snap on the Hasselblad True Zoom to capture pictures with a 10x zoom and shoot in RAW. You also can attach a speaker to give your phone great audio quality or even attach a projector to stream videos onto a larger screen.
Remote Control
Universal remotes are already outdated. Now you can use your smartphone to remotely control your computer and other electronic devices. The Unified Remote app enables you to control more than 70 programs, including your computer’s screen, mouse and keyboard. You can use the app to stream programs like Netflix, YouTube, iTunes and Spotify as well as access your computer files and media. The app works across platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows and Linux so you won’t run into compatibility issues if you have a PC and an iPhone.
There are many more useful features on your smartphone if you’re willing to look for them. From being able to take panorama and 360-degree photos on your camera to being able to cast your screen with apps like Chromecast, you can do almost anything you can imagine.
