How do you learn about the Samsung Galaxy S IV release?

How Do You Android is deeply troubled that two articles in a row cover new phone releases. If this troubles you deeply, you may ask, why not choose a different topic?  Because I have big news... excruciatingly big news: A phone manufacturer has announced a new phone.

...Anticlimactically put, no?

March 14, 2013 is poised to go down in history as the day the Apple empire came crashing down, thanks to the unveiling taking place that day, in iconic New York City.

...Now we're looking at melodramatic, as well as highly unlikely.

Yes, the next next big thing is coming -- the Samsung Galaxy S IV. We know nothing at all about it, currently. Rumors aren't even giving us much to go on... probably some advances in mobile payments through NFC (Near Field Communication -- meaning you need only walk by Starbucks in order to spend $6 on coffee), a 360-degree camera (360? how on earth...), and the possibility of a central new syncing program attempting to rival iTunes. 

Do you find it amusing that Samsung officially announced its official announcement? The event is taking place in NYC this time (while the S3 was released in London), on March 14 -- at that point we hope to hear some specs. 

While I expect, in order to form a valid opinion of it, to get a hold of an S4 at some point, I plan to stick with the Nexus 4, for actual use, a while longer. The true reason is shamefully far from techy: the glass back of the Nexus 4 allows me to put a skin under the bumper case, and I really like this skin.

How do you perceive the new LG Optimus G Pro Android smartphone?

It's a pretty sweet phone, and there's a nice amount of hype, so I really should withhold judgment until the phone reaches us here in the states (sometime in the 2nd quarter is the expectation). But I'm throwing caution to the wind, and questioning the way this launch is being handled... we shall see whether the numbers end up confirming the insignificance of my marketing opinion. (If I'm right, official consulting hours are between 8 and 5, every other Thursday.)

First, a bit about the phone itself, starting with this picture LG recently released:

The percentage of the surface that is actual screen, particularly side-to-side, is pretty impressive... noticeably higher than that of the S III. I am wondering why LG is following in Samsung's footsteps by including a physical home button -- what am I missing, people? ...what reason is there for a physical home button? A few specs of the phone include a 5.5" screen (making this phone officially enormous), LTE networking, a quad-core 1.7GHz processor, and a competition-busting 13MP rear-facing camera plus 2.1MP front-facing camera. The AMOLED screen has a resolution of 400 pixels per inch (1920 x 1080 pixels), which LG is touting as great for HD video-viewing, with a hefty 3,140 mAh battery to keep up. Built-in storage of 32GB, plus 2GB of RAM, and finally that holographic design on the back that LG introduced in the Nexus 4, wrap up the highlights (and yes, you should be afraid due to the lack of a price projection). One minuscule downside: the phone is running Android version 4.1.2, though 4.2 has been out since the end of 2012. The differences between Jelly Bean 4.1.2 and Jelly Bean 4.2 are significant, so I'm only calling this downside minuscule because I assume updates will roll out quickly. Overall, definitely a note-worthy phone (or phablet, since it's 5-6"), with top-of-the-line specs, and an attractive design. So what's my problem?

We're excited about the LG Optimus G Pro now, watching Korea skip along with a shiny new phone we can't yet have; but we have a very short attention span -- we don't plan on being excited any longer, when we finally get it, in a few months. It might have made more sense to keep rumors swirling, but facts few, a little while longer, over here. Additionally, LG seems to be positioning the product as top-of-the line, no competition. So it may be, right now, but in a few months there will be bigger and better. LG has shown Samsung and HTC and Motorola exactly what they need to one up. Past precedent says they accept the challenge.

How do you sync an Android phone with an Apple computer?

Mind you, I'm not condoning such behavior; however, it's a step in the right direction to recognize that owning a Mac does not force you into choosing an iPhone.

Google's official (and free) solution to the Apple/Android integration problem is the most likely to suit. It's called Android File Transfer, and must be installed on your Mac. After it's installed, connect your Android to your Mac, via USB cable, and double click to open Android File Transfer on the computer (after the first use, the program will open automatically). Your phone should be recognized automatically, but if you run into any trouble here, try enabling USB debugging on your Android (Settings > Developer Options > Enable USB Debugging). The Android File Transfer program is pretty self-explanatory... the amount of space available on your device is shown, and you can move files and folders around between your computer and your phone. 

To download Android File Transfer, click here. 

For Android File Transfer support, click here.

If you aren't concerned about syncing anything but music, between your Mac and your Android, you might want to try Google Play Music, another program directly from Google. Install the app on your Android, and navigate to http://play.google.com/music on your Mac. Click Upload Music in the top right corner, then click Download the Google Play Music Manager. Once the Google Play Music Manager is installed on your computer, personalize exactly what music is uploaded to Google Play Music (all of iTunes, including playlists, is an option). After the upload is complete, your music will be available in Google Play Music, on your Android. 

To download Google Play Music on your Android, click here.

To download Google Play Music Manager on your Mac, click here (then click Upload Music > Download the Google Play Music Manager.)

There are a lot more options for syncing an Android phone with an Apple computer, so if you don't like these methods, look around for others, such as Samsung Kies, HTC Sync, doubleTwist, Salling Media Sync, and SyncMate, to name a few.

How Do You Know Android? (Easter Eggs & Hidden Features)

I spent some time, last weekend, with three iPhone-toting friends. Now, I try to keep my Android fervor contained, but if my input is invited, I eagerly enter into discussion. One iPhone argument presented was the ease of use, resulting in a straightforward smartphone experience -- no options means no confusion. Based on the fact that these are highly intelligent dudes, who aren't satisfied with face value, but must delve toward the root of any topic, I am unconvinced; iPhones don't cut it for their personality types, and I think they realize that. Unfortunately, I also encountered the brick wall of no strong iPhone or Android preference, simply happy with a phone that makes and receives calls: touche. However, one final point discussed was that iPhones have unpublished hidden features that are fun to discover; that point is the prompt for this post.

iPhone cannot compete with Android in terms of hidden features:

1. Most Android phones will let you rename folders (in your gallery, for example) by longpressing the folder name.
2. Another feature on most Androids is keyboard shortcuts like Search + B for Browser, Search + C for Contacts, Search + M for Messaging, Search + G for Gmail, etc.
3. On the Samsung Galaxy S II, the screen brightness can be adjusted by holding the notifications bar until the bar disappears and the adjuster takes its place.
4. On the Nexus 4 camera, swipe your finger from the top left and right corners to reveal menu shortcuts, for exposure and focus.
5. On the Nexus 4, reveal hidden developer options by locating Build Number under About Phone, and tapping 10 times.
6. On the Nexus 4, repeatedly tap Android Version, under About Phone, to reveal the Jelly Bean version Easter Egg. This time around it's a BeanFlinger game. Once you've found the Easter Egg and played it once, the game will become a "Daydream" screensaver menu option.

There are many more hidden features, tips, and tricks for Android... but if I told you what they all are, they wouldn't be a surprise any more. As you customize your Android, with widgets, preferences, etc., molding the perfect-for-you smartphone, you'll realize there are endless discoveries to be made.

How do you convert a standard SIM card to a micro SIM card?

It's very easy; so easy it might be a little silly to devote a whole article to the task. In a word: cut.

Unnecessary tools:

• A nail file
• Sandpaper
• A ruler
• A pattern
• A brain

Since there is quite a risk of damaging the SIM card in this process, step 1 is to call or visit a location for your carrier, like an AT&T store; they often have the tool to convert a standard SIM to a micro SIM and will do it for you, free of charge. 

If you are conducting the surgery yourself, come to terms with the reality that your SIM card might not survive the encounter -- but I think it will. The only thing that's difficult about the process is determining exactly where to cut your card. There are a lot of diagrams and patterns that you can print out, but I find them more confusing than beneficial. Find a picture, like the one above, that shows a SIM card with the same design as yours. A standard and micro of the same SIM, to show before and after, would be the most helpful, but I did just fine with only the after, micro part. 

The material of SIM cards is a lot easier to cut than you might expect. I read dire warnings that if your scissors aren't sharp enough to slice through a 1-inch stack of index cards, simply by placing the stack within 4 inches of the scissors, you have no chance of success. I found this misleading; my scissors fall under the category "eh." I decided to try it with my inadequate tools because I knew it was cut the SIM or buy a new one -- not a lot of risk.

Open up your phone and locate the slot into which you tried to mash your SIM card, before you realized it was micro. Study the slot. Be the slot. This will help guide your hand as you cut... maybe. Compare your standard SIM to the micro SIM example you located, and cut so that it will match ex posto facto (you might want to keep in mind the size of that slot). Cut much, much, MUCH less than you think you should. One tiny sliver at a time. It will probably fit bigger than you were expecting. Don't forget it goes in the tray upside down... put the angled corner on the same corner as when it was standard; don't mix that up. By the way, you do not need to sand or shave or in any way de-roughen or slenderize. Even if your particular phone takes the kind of SIM that is shorter than standard, it should fit without shrinking. All that matters is the metal part... the conductors.

Now at some point just stick it in... wiggle it around a little... it'll probably work.