Android devices boast a broad set of specifications and a mobile operating system open to adaption. That's all good, obviously. The big drawback is such a mobile and computing environment is prone to more errors and woes than, say, proprietary systems such as Apple's iOS products.
As the new year likely brought new Android devices, here are some good tips, tricks and troubleshooting advice for dealing with Android problems in short order.
That Annoying Lag or Freezing Issue
Yes, both Android and Apple devices can freeze and experience lag. Users with legacy hardware typically complain of sluggish response after upgrading to the latest version of iOS.
RAM crowded with cached app data can cause any mobile device to slow or become unresponsive, and an app that has crashed or become unstable can have the same impact. The quick cure is to shut down the app that's stressing already stressed RAM.
A long press of the Home button brings up the Task Manager, where active programs can be cleared individually or in bulk. Users comfortable with lifting up the hood can also visit the Settings menu to shut down troubled processes.
If background programs are causing trouble, tap on the physical Settings button and then select the "System Settings" option. Tap the Settings menu's "Apps" option, then swipe over to the "Running" heading and close any crashed or unresponsive apps.
A hard reset can also clear away stalled processes and services. Pull the mobile device's battery, wait roughly 30 seconds for the power to cycle out and plug the battery back in and restart.
Text and Data Issues
Text messaging is already fraught with lots of issues, from mistyping to missending, so additional operating stalls can be especially frustrating. The failure of text messages to launch can often be fixed using the same methods that will resolve mobile data problems.
Setting a smartphone to Airplane mode for a few seconds can help a mobile device re-establish its connection to wireless networks and resolve data issues. When turned on, Airplane mode disables a device's cellular radio, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections.
While not as prevalent an occurrence as years ago, devices can still roam to find service and mistakenly veer outside a specific network. Resetting a device's preferred roaming lists (PRL) can help solve network hiccups that cause text messages to stall and mobile data to disappear.
Get into the Settings menu and select the "System Updates" option. In the System Updates menu, tap on the Update PRL option to ensure the device's roaming list is up to date.
Hopefully these tips and tricks will making using that new mobile device, or old favorite, a bit easier and more enjoyable.
Got a tip to share? Please share it in the comments section and we'll do a roundup of tips and advice later.
