How To

Ed. note: Sorry for the problem, everybody. The column's now here in its entirety.

Hey everybody. This week lets talk about the thorn in Android's side – efficient task management.

Before we get started, yes I'm one of those people who will say “Stop using the task killer” as a first response to some weird questions. Lots of other pretty knowledgeable folks will say the same thing. They (we) are right. Task killer applications tend to cause a lot of problems simply because using them properly can be a...

Hey everybody! Jerry here again for our weekly get-together. I hope everyone survived another crazy week of things like data outages and Eris leaks. And Droid users, don't fret – your time is coming soon, I'll bet.

This week let's talk about apps! Everyone loves apps, and they're one of the biggest draws of the Android platform. The Android Market is growing by leaps and bounds, and I for one am loving it. But there's a...

Maybe you saw our hands-on with Sense on the Nexus One and wanted to do it yourself. Or maybe you're finally ready to take the leap and give CyanogenMod a try. Either way, our forums guru Jeremy Sikora has put together an...

Hey there, everybody!  This week we’re going to talk about something everyone seems to forget  - system maintenance and clean-up.  Like any computer, our Android devices can get clogged with old info that builds up until performance starts to be affected.  Unlike a computer with Gigs of space, our device's storage space is limited so this can happen in a much shorter time span.  If your phone is starting to act a bit sluggish...

One of the biggest complaints from those migrating over from a Blackberry to an Android device has got to be e-mail.  We get used to doing things a certain way, and feel lost when things change.  Even if you’re not used to Blackberry’s push mail this is a great method to not only get things more organized, but save some battery as well.  Join us after the break!

We continue to wait for the Android 2.1 update to come to the Samsung Moment, but there is still a maintenance fix rolling out. If you gone to a Sprint Store to do it, you can now install it yourself. Here's what's being fixed:

Each day more and more Android handsets are being sold, and that means users are faced with a major decision: To root, or not to root. Some of us will do it simply because we can, others will decide not to do it as they enjoy the phone as-is, but the majority of us will be on the fence about the whole idea of rooting. 

Hopefully some of those questions can get answered and you’ll have a clearer picture of the process and some understanding to make the decision a bit easier.  I’m sure this won’t answer every question you’ll...

Hey, all. Introducing a new feature to our AndroidCentral readers. It's a little space where we can discuss and feature the weeks best in the Android modding and hacking community, in terms that even those new to Android can understand.

This won't be device or carrier specific, so think of it as a showcase of everything Android has to offer us because of its open nature. Our seasoned veterans may find some of this redundant, but we're going to try to keep things on a level all can understand so we stay on the same...

For as easy as Android can make your life, the simple task of getting photos, video and music from your computer to your phone isn't quite as straightforward as it should be. We're going to put an end to that right now. After the break: How to get your storage card to show up on your computer. No rooting. No extra programs. Just a few simple steps.

If you're the type who just can't wait for an update to be pushed out (erm, like some of us around here), you're in luck. You can manually apply today's update to your Nexus One, enabling multitouch and (hopefully) fixing that pesky T-Mobile 3G issue. Here's how to do it: [via

For Android 1.6+ If your battery isn't lasting as long as you think it should (does it really ever?), there could be a rogue process or application sucking down more juice than it should. And keeping an eye on what's hitting the battery is pretty simple.

Just go to Settings>About phone>Battery use and you'll get an easy-to-read chart showing what's been going on since your...

Sure, being able dictate e-mails, text messages -- anything you want, really -- to your ...

Two words phrases we throw around a lot: Soft reset and hard reset. The former is what it's called when you turn your phone off and on, or pull the battery. The latter is a bit more drastic. But sometimes things go wrong, and you need to restore it back to its factory settings, wiping all of your applications and personal data. Here's how you hard reset the Google

We're still waiting on a fix for the problem the Nexus One is having staying connected to 3G (and we don't really care who fixes it -- Google, HTC, T-Mobile or whomever). In the meantime, there's a workaround that will force your phone to only connect with 3G.

So join us after the break if that's the sort of...

The first thing I was told after being handed a Motorola Droid was: "Be careful with that battery cover. It loves to come off." And, sure enough, it does.

The good news is that Bryan at The Gadgeteer has posted up a quick video showing a few quick seconds with a small flathead...

Ever wanted to know how to factory reset your T-Mobile G1? Don't worry Android Central has got you covered. Doing a factory reset is a fairly easy process on the G1 and is immensely useful for those returning units, selling units, and/or just want a fresh start.

Do you have a laptop but no data plan love for it? If you want to save a few $$$ either in WiFi rates or a 3G data rate plan for your laptop, then consider tethering your G1 to your laptop and use it's 3G goodness for some large-screen internet browsing and emailing.