Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
How to turn your Android device into a laptop
Quite frankly, software keyboards just don't cut it for hardcore productivity. Even the best software keyboards, like SwiftKey, fall far behind even low-quality hardware keyboards in speed and typing comfort. Four major, some exotic and some mundane, keyboard technologies inhabit marketplaces: NFC powered keyboards,OTG (On the Go) keyboards, Bluetooth 3.0 and 4.0 keyboards.
Of these, I prefer using OTG keyboards for their quality and reliability. However, remember that no single keyboard type can fit all individual needs. Each possesses both strengths and weaknesses that the discriminating consumer should keep in mind.
Four keyboard technologies
Of the four keyboard technologies (NFC, Bluetooth and OTG) presented in this article, the most widely used is the Bluetooth 3.0 standard. That's because of inconsistent implementation of OTG and NFC drivers in Android devices. Also, few keyboards work without additional configuration in Android's settings menu.
NFC keyboards
NFC stands for Near Field Communication. NFC keyboards are extraordinarily exotic, some even receive power wirelessly, from the NFC signal. Many phones, particularly iPhones, don't incorporate this technology - even many Android devices don't use it. More modern devices do include it, leading to a wealth of automation software such as NFC Task Launcher and a large variety of potential uses. I use NFC for its location-based features, including sleep-mode and car-mode.
Advantages
Low power: NFC keyboards consume hardly any energy, as they don't broadcast over a great distance, such as Bluetooth.
Upcoming keyboard doesn't use batteries: An upcoming NFC keyboard from One2Touch converts the NFC signal into a power source. Other NFC keyboards require batteries, although require very little power.
Super portable: Most NFC keyboards use smaller batteries and, as demonstrated by the One2Touch keyboards, are foldable. Most of these will either fit in your pocket, or double as a case.
No pairing: There's no pairing process involved in connecting an NFC keyboard. According to One2Touch, simply place the Android device on the keyboard and start typing.
Disadvantages
Requires NFC: If your phone doesn't have NFC, you won't be able to use an NFC keyboard.Short range: NFC signals don't broadcast over a great distance. You have a range of millimeters.
Expensive: The cheapest NFC keyboard, the Android NFC Elecom keyboard, costs more than $50.
App required: Unfortunately, native NFC keyboard support isn't include within the Android software environment. One2Touch keyboards rely on an app to work properly. Although this app is available in the Play Store, not all devices will be compatible with it and not all devices include Play Store support. You can remedy this with forced installations and sideloading. For the uninitiated, sideloading allows you to transfer files to your Android device from a computer.
OTG keyboards
OTG stands for "On the Go", which is an interface standard allowing most USB peripheral devices to connect to Android devices. Not all versions of Android support it - Google added the feature in Android 3.0, Honeycomb. Also, not all device manufacturers include it. For example, the Nexus 4 notoriously lacks OTG support, without modification. However, for those of you lucky enough to possess OTG capability, setting your phone or tablet up requires a few simple steps. Most important is an OTG cable, which can link many, but not all, USB peripherals to your device. Some Android devices require that you enable this feature in Developer Mode. Others enable it right from the get-go.
I should point out that although most USB keyboards can function as OTG devices, not all are suited for it. Your mileage may vary.
OTG cable advantages
Inexpensive: You can use most USB keyboards as OTG keyboards. Some of these are quite inexpensive, while others may cost a bit more. Also, the OTG cable itself costs around $5 or less.
No battery: You will only need the battery of your phone to operate these devices.
Variety: USB keyboards come in all manner of shapes and sizes. Some, such as the Matias travel keyboard, can fold in half.matias keyboard folded
Disadvantages
Requires OTG compatibility: If your device isn't at least Android 3.0 and above, you won't have OTG compatibility. Even many newer Android gadgets aren't OTG compatible. Make sure you do your research before buying.
Compatibility: Because of the wide range of USB keyboards, not all devices will work properly.
Power drain: Some keyboards may drain more than others. For example, if your keyboard features LED back-lighting, it will likely run your Android device's battery down much faster. However, keep in mind that simply enabling USB host mode on your device may have a small, but noticeable, decrease on your battery life as it turns on a 5 volt bus.
Bluetooth (up to) 3.0 keyboards
I have several Bluetooth 3.0 keyboards, none of which I'm truly satisfied with. That's mainly because of the power drain caused by Bluetooth 3.0 on both the battery inside of the keyboard and the mobile device. Most devices provision for enough endurance to last several days of use. They frequently run out of battery life after a week or more of heavy use.
Advantages
Cost: Bluetooth keyboards are relatively cheap - my aluminum Inland keyboard cost $10 after a rebate. My Motorola cost $12. Both are good quality devices with solid battery life. However, it could be much better.
Portability: Bluetooth keyboards tend to be more portable than USB devices. On the other hand, they weigh a bit more because of their batteries for similar sized devices.
Disadvantages
Battery life: Expect a shortened battery life from your Android device when using a Bluetooth keyboard. Oftentimes, I find my phone running out of juice two or three hours earlier than it would normally, when running Bluetooth.
Weight: The addition of batteries may increase the device's weight and bulk slightly. However, some devices (such as the Inland keyboard pictured below) will be highly portable.inland keyboard
Bluetooth "Smart" 4.0 Keyboards
The newest standard in Bluetooth, 4.0 includes a new feature branded as "low energy". The feature allows greatly reduced wireless power consumption. This means that you won't need to change, or recharge, the battery nearly as often as you would with the older standard. It's often referred to as "Smart" and "Smart Ready", which refers to reverse compatibility. Smart devices work only with the 4.0 standard, whereas Smart Ready devices are fully reverse compatible.
Advantages
Low energy: Because of its low energy requirements, Bluetooth 4.0 keyboards require very small amounts of energy, meaning better on-the-road performance and less recharging. It will also decrease the amount of drain on your Android device by a huge amount. Most reports indicate it's as if Bluetooth weren't turned on at all.
Less bulky: Because of the low energy requirements of Bluetooth 4.0, it can afford to incorporate a smaller battery than Bluetooth 3.0 keyboards and still get a much longer battery life.
Disadvantages
Separate battery: Like Bluetooth 3.0, the 4.0 version includes batteries that must be recharged separately from your Android device.
Bulky: Although these devices use smaller batteries, they still carry around the extra weight.
Hard to find: The 4.0 standard suffers from a serious labeling issue. Searching for Bluetooth 4.0 keyboards will show very few results. However, looking for "Smart" and "Smart Read" will show a much wider selection.
Low adoption: Despite the standard existing for many years, very few Android devices include the 4.0 update. Before purchasing, make sure your phone or tablet supports 4.0.
Conclusion
For those in search of a hardware keyboard for Android, four technology standards inhabit marketplaces. Of these, no single technology dominates the field. If you choose one, make sure it fits your needs. For example, if your device doesn't possess NFC, don't purchase an NFC keyboard. Out of the four dominant keyboard technologies (NFC, Bluetooth 3.0/4.0 and OTG), I prefer OTG for its simplicity and low price. However, I'm really looking forward to NFC keyboards when the price comes down.
8 ways to save your data from getting corrupted
Data loss - whether from hardware failure,digital corruption, or even accidental deletion - is a hard, yet inevitable truth in this age of computers. But you can take simple precautions to protect important documents and e-mails, photographs, music files and videos. Your Windows OS comes with tools that will help you take a backup; your external hard drive comes with backup software. Yet, despite best intentions we fail to create copies of our files. It's probably because the process might seem daunting. Well, its not...
Local storage
The quickest place to save a backup of your data is on the hard disk in your PC. Here, however, you will first need to ensure that your copies are stored on a separate physical drive in your machine. A note of caution: different partitions do not mean different drives. In the event of a hard drive failure, you will lose all your data if your files were stored on the same disk, even though it might show as a different drive letter on your system.
Now, given current drive capacities, most PCs come with just a single hard drive. In this case, it would be best to invest in an external hard disk. As mentioned earlier, each brand comes with its own backup utility. Follow the simple steps to back up your files at regular intervals. Tip: Till you get into an 'automatic' habit, create a reminder on your phone that will prompt you to backup every weekend.
Personal cloud storage
While a local backup is a good idea, an online repository for your documents, music and pictures will give you the freedom to access them from any web-enabled device. Besides, many cloud services come with mobile apps, allowing you to access, synchronize and share files on the go.
Dropbox (www.dropbox.com)
This service gives you 2GB of free storage. If you suggest it to friends, you can earn up to 18GB of space. Dropbox also has software for Windows, Mac and Linux PCs, and apps for Android, BlackBerry, and iOS devices. To back up a file, place it in the local Dropbox folder on your PC and it will be pushed online, showing up on your smartphone as well.
Google Drive (drive.google.com)
Google Drive offers up to 15GB of free space which is shared across Gmail and Google+ services. While Drive is not ideal for multimedia file storage, it is perfect for documents, with support for over thirty formats that can be opened within the mobile app - available for Android and iOS - or the web browser.
Box (www.box.com)
With 10GB of storage space, you will have more than enough room for backing up personal and work-related documents. If you are not into taking your photographs public on Flickr and Picasa, you can store them on Box. Entire folders can be shared with friends and family, turning the backup process into an advantage. Just make sure you don't give write access to those with whom you share the folder. Besides mobile apps for Android and iOS devices, Box also works on Windows Phone.
SkyDrive (skydrive.live.com)
With SkyDrive, you get 7GB of free space and the ability to work on documents within a web browser or its app that's available for Android, iOS and Windows Phone. This service works well with photos too: it comes with a slideshow function and supports sharing on social networks.
Mega (mega.co.nz)
Mega tops ours charts with a whopping 50GB of free storage space. It is a pure-bred digital locker with AES-128 encryption for all your data. As of now, the service can be accessed via your PC and through an app for Android. iOS and Windows Phone offerings are in the works.
Backing up with Windows
You can also use the built-in backup and restore utility in Windows. The best part is that you can schedule and automate the entire process with the help of a simple wizard.
In Windows 7
Click Start > Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Backup and Restore. Here, you are presented with two options 1 Make a full backup of the system: In the left pane, click Create new, full backup. 2 Customize the archival: Click Set up backup and then follow the wizard to configure what you want to make a copy of. After that first time, whenever you bring up Back and Restore, just click Back up now. To restore your data, double-click the backup file to start the process. Alternatively, open Backup and Restore > Restore my files. Browse through the backup and choose the files and folders you want to restore; select the destination and click Restore.
In Windows 8.1
Connect an external hard drive to your PC. Then, using your cursor, point to the upper right corner of the screen. In the 'charms' bar that appears, click on the Search option and type File History to access it. Enable the File History option and follow the instructions to select the folders you want to backup. You can restore files from earlier copies with the same utility.
5 Cloud file sharing tips
Are you annoying the people you share files with services like Dropbox? Maybe; here are some things you do that may bug others, and some rules you can use to avoid doing so.
Some people think "online etiquette" is a contradiction in terms, but it really isn't. Since the early 90′s web users have agreed on rules about what is and isn't appropriate online. For example: CAPS LOCK IS LIKE YELLING, AND GENERALLY CONSIDERED IMPOLITE. You should research before asking a question online. And there's the strict Bittorrent etiquette, which can help you avoid being banned from private trackers.
As new services come online, new rules of etiquette tend to pop up, but it seems as though manners surrounding cloud sharing services likeDropbox are yet to crystalize. Let's try to fix that, okay? Here are rules I'd like to see catch on.
Name folders after projects, not people
Sharing a document, folder or calendar appointment with someone else? Don't name it after them. Here's why.
Say you're using Dropbox, and you're about to share a file with me: Justin Pot. You might think that naming that folder "Justin Pot" or "MakeUseOf" would be ideal, and you'd be right: for you.
The problem: I get yet another folder named "Justin Pot" in my Dropbox.
That's not useful, and over time becomes downright confusing. Ask anyone who spends a lot of time coordinating projects online and you'll find out: this gets annoying, quickly. Sure, I can rename the folder at my end, but if I then share it with someone else the original name will stick: not helpful for the people I'm sharing with.
The solution: name shared folders after what you're going to do with them, not after the person you're sharing with. It's less confusing for them, but still useful for you. It also shows that you're thinking of what these files will look like on their computer, and not just your own.
Oh, and the same goes for calendar appointments: calling something "Meeting With Justin" and sending me the invite is kind of silly, as it means nothing to me. Include both names in the description, or say what the meeting is about.
Ask before deleting individual files
Have a shared folder that you're not using, and figure you can just delete individual files from it to save space? Ask first.
Because of how services like Dropbox work, files you delete in those folders aren't just deleted from your folder: they're deleted from the folder of everyone you shared with. Sure, most services allow you to recover deleted files, but the time in which you can do so is limited - one month for Dropbox. Once that time passes the files are simply gone - frustrating if your sharing partner still needed them.
So don't delete files from folders without asking. If you really need the space, there's a workaround.
Disconnect from folders you're not using
Delete a file from a folder and it's gone for both you and the other user; delete a folder from your computer and it's just gone for you. That's how it works in Dropbox, and is also how it works in most services like it.
So if you need more space in your Dropbox or other cloud-based service, delete the entire folder, or drag it outside your cloud-syncing service. This allows your sharing partners to keep the files as long as they want, but keeps those same files from filling your folder.
Don't overfill folders
Speaking of space: don't fill folders with large, unnecessary files. You might have paid Dropbox for extra space, but your sharing partner hasn't. Think before you drop a 5 GB monstrosity into a folder, because odds are you'll be the only person who can sync it. Don't overwhelm people if you can avoid it.
If you really need to share and sync large files, consider a service like BitTorrent Sync, which is a free, unlimited syncing service that syncs directly between two machines. It's probably a better fit for the job, especially if you set up a Bittorrent Sync server.
But seriously, let people know if you're planning on syncing huge files. The download is going to take a while, and might even slow down the web connection of some users.
Think before you sync
This is arguably all you need to keep in mind: thinking. When you share a folder with someone on Dropbox and similar services, you're tying a folder on your computer directly to one on someone else's. Adding massive files, constantly saving changes or cluttering things up could cause others annoyance - and that's just plain bad manners.
Not sure if you should delete something, or make changes to a file? Contact the people you're coordinating with first. Better that than delete a file they care about, right?
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
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