With similar functionality and uses, you can now use your Android Smartphone as a second screen for Mac or your Windows-powered computer. This can maximize your productivity that may be limited by the presence of only a signal screen to work with.

In most cases, if you are used to a dual-screen setup at your home or workplace, using your Android device as a second screen can increase your productivity if you’re physically away. This works in two ways, you can either use your Mac or Windows PC remotely on your smartphone, or simply extend your current view on a Laptop.

Use Your Android Smartphone as a Second Screen

Two methods exist to use your Android smartphone as a second screen for mac or windows PC. First, you can use a local network screen sharing application to create a connection between your computer and the smartphone. OR, you can simply connect to your computer remotely and view all tasks being executed on it – this is the recommended procedure in case your computer display screen is faulty.

Extend or Duplicate Your Windows Computer Screen

Several apps exist on the Internet with screen extension features, among these, Spacedesk suites as a mobile and desktop app available for Android, Windows computers respectively. To use Spacedesk, you need to download both the Windows desktop client and Android mobile app to create a connection between the two devices.

Once Installed, make sure both your Android Smartphone and Windows PC are on the same network. In most cases, you can create a hotspot on your phone, or simply connect to any available wireless network to create between the two devices.

If a stable network connection exists, select your computer name in the space desk mobile app and click Connect, to ignite a connection between the two devices. Also, you should make sure that space desk is open on both devices.

DONE: You will be able to view your computer’s full screen on your smartphone in duplicate mode.

Remotely access your Mac or Windows PC’s Screen

Remote access is the best screen-sharing method you can ever want to use when you’re away from your mac or windows PC. With a bunch of remote desktop connection (rdc) applications available on the Internet, trusting the industry big bulls becomes a choice to consider.

Teamviewer is by far the most popular remote connection software available on the Internet. Once you download the Teamviewer application on your Mac from the Apple store, or directly through the official website, you will be able to add view your computer screen on your smartphone and vice versa.

To do this, Teamviewer will create a remote connection once the application is running on your computer, with a unique ID and password provided in the application, a remote connection will be made to your device using the Internet. If you are near your mac or PC, you can TeamViewer to only accept LAN connection with no Internet usage to save your current bandwidth.

Well, like any other desktop computer operating system, you can run Android Apps on Linux through multiple methods with the easiest of them all being the use of an emulator. But since Linux and Android share the same DNA as open-source products, it’s now possible to install and run Android Apps on Linux without an emulator.

This is possible through a tool dubbed Waydroid that allows users to run Android Apps on Linux with better performance and optimizations like they would on a Smartphone. The tool runs as a container and gives you a feeling of android apps natively running on your Linux Machine.

However, since Linux is not like Windows 11 where you simply jump-start your journey to the store, Waydroid requires preset dependencies and system updates in order to run on Linux. To do this, you simply have to enter the tool’s secure packages and get started to install and run Android Apps on Linux.

Install and Run Android Apps on Linux with Waydroid

First, you need access to your Linux computer’s Terminal, accessible via Ctrl, Alt, T on your keyboard, or through the applications menu depending on your Linux distro. Also, you need to login as a local user and not a guest to conveniently install Waydroid through the following commands.

Depending on your Linux Distribution, Install Curl (If not pre-installed already)

$ sudo apt install curl

Once Installed, describe your Linux system’s distro name. For instance, for Ubuntu, use focal, Debian use bullseye, Linux Mint use Tessa and so on. If not declared, you may accounter “Permission denied” prompts during the Waydroid installation process.

$ sudo export DISTRO=”focal”

Once executed, you now need to download the Waydroid GPG Key – a secure file used to decrypt a file generated using the GNU privacy Guard (GnuPG) program. Using the curl command, you must download it to your computer and move it to the keyrings directory for easy access.

$ sudo curl https://repo.waydro.id/waydroid.gpg > /usr/share/keyrings/waydroid.gpg

The above command downloads the waydroid gpg file and stores it (using >) in the /usr/share/keyrings directory. You must run the command with root rights in order to write to the directory. To switch to root, simply type sudo su, then enter your computer password.

Now, with the waydroid secure key installed, you need to add the waydroid repository to your system sources list. To do this, you can echo the key location and repository link for entry in your sources list with the command.

echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/waydroid.gpg] https://repo.waydro.id/ $DISTRO main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/waydroid.list

It’s time to update your system dependencies for Linux to know where to download waydroid from. To do this, simply run the apt update command in your Linux Terminal.

$ sudo apt update

If convenient, you can also upgrade all dependencies with apt upgrade.

$ sudo apt upgrade

Finally, it’s time to Install waydroid. Your Linux machine knows where to locate waydroid on your dependencies list and now, you need to download the application to your computer. To do this, you can use the command apt install waydroid

$ sudo apt install waydroid

Once installed, you then need to download an Android Image for Waydroid to use, with an estimated size of about 600MB, you can download the image using the command waydroid init to initiate an Android Image from the application’s sources.

$ sudo waydroid init

DONE: All you have to do now is start the waydroid container, and also start a session to get started with installing your first Android App on Linux with the commands below.

$ sudo systemctl start waydroid-container && waydroid session start

Finally, use the show-full-ui command to open up a waydroid window on your Linux screen to start running Android Apps.

$ Waydroid show-full-ui

Enjoy Installing and running Android Apps on Linux than ever before.

Editor’s Note: For now, Waydroid runs on Debian-based Linux distros only, with time, other Linux releases may be supported with information from the developers team.

At the moment, the feature is still in its early development stages and may roll out in mid-2021 as leaked by WABetaInfo – a reliable WhatsApp information source. The feature was spotted in a recent WhatsApp Beta update, and it will require users to have the latest version of WhatsApp in order to transfer chats from Android to IOS and vice versa.

Once the feature is rolled out, you will be able to transfer text chats, images, video, voice notes, and all media from Android to IOS and vice versa. This means, if you often switch Smartphones from Android-based variants to the Apple league, this feature will save you from the stressful task of having to start fresh conversations in groups and individual chats.

By functionality, the feature may work in a wireless fashion which will compile a backup of your current WhatsApp information and share it over Bluetooth or a private personal hotspot from your Android to iPhone with ease. For now, WABetaInfo has not leaked further details on when we can expect to see the new WhatsApp chats transfer method.

But as compared to all leaked features in the past, WhatsApp features often take a while to leave the launchpad, and we can expect the new game-changing feature to be launched in mid-2021 for Beta testers to give it a try before a public rollout. Currently, expect to see a smooth way of transferring WhatsApp data from Android to IOS without using sophisticated Apps.

However, the real challenge is finding the correct VPN that will deliver the best uptime possible with your smartphone’s internet connection. More so, getting a dose of a great VPN with little or no Ads is also a hard nut to crack since the best VPNs are often premium/paid variants.

On merit, all VPNs work on the same model of tunneling all your data and traffic to securely bypass Internet sanctions. But before choosing any of the android VPNs, you should consider noting whether the VPN logs your browsing activity and whether it has a kill switch or not. And so, here are the best 5 android VPNs you can consider installing on your smartphone.

List of the best 5 Android VPNs

On the list of the best 5 Android VPNs you can consider installing on your smartphone, popular variants like Psiphon Pro, Nord VPN, Betternet, Proton VPN, Ultra Surf, Hotspot Shield, Tunnel bear and Cyberghost rank as some of the best you can consider downloading for your Android.

Ultra Surf

Ultra Surf is a lightweight and AD free VPN service available on the Google Playstore as one of the most downloaded VPNs built with privacy, link quality, and speed in a single package. By Design, the VPN has a single kill switch which you can toggle ON or OFF with ease and no complicated menus attached to its layout.

By pricing, Ultra Surf is 100% free and doesn’t feature any paid/premium plans for users. Once you Install the VPN on your Android Smartphone, you will not be charged for any coin, or even required to signup for the service in order to have an active tunneled connection.

Betternet VPN

Think of the best VPNs that can allow you to unblock any website or online service for free, and see what Betternet has to offer. Ranked as one of the most downloaded and trusted VPNs, Betternet VPN is a great application you can use to bypass internet censorship on your smartphone.

By pricing, Betternet has a paid/premium version of the app you can consider upgrading to for better privacy, speed, and functionality. But as per its functionality standards, Betternet VPN automatically switches between servers with no ability for you to choose your preferred country as a mode to dynamically switch to the nearest servers available in your region. You can download Betternet from the Google Playstore, or the VPN’s direct website.

Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield is currently the most downloaded VPN for Android with mass installations attached to its dynamic functionality that allows you to bypass any form of internet sanctions and service limitations on your Smartphone.

Unlike other free VPNs, you can choose a VPN server location with Hotspot shield in order to have uninterrupted flow of traffic with a free plan. With the premium plan, you get more server locations and unlimited bandwidth to have the best connection speeds on your Smartphone. With 2G/3G/4G and WiFI support, you can easily download Hotspot shield from the Google Playstore.

CyberGhost

Cyberghost is another Android VPN application that allows you to bypass Internet sanctions with over 6000+ VPN server locations in 90countries to choose from. This means, you can choose the nearest server to your location in order to have the fastest internet speeds through your connected tunnel.

With the free version of Cyberghost, you can connect using a single kill switch to limited server locations in order to secure the connection on your Android Smartphone. By ranking, Cyberghost is one of the most downloaded Android VPNs pimped with great functionality and speed available on the Google Playstore.

Tunnel Bear

Tunnel Bear is a legendary VPN service that is one of the most downloaded android VPNs of all time. Tunnel Bear has its glory lineage attached to its secure connections created through tunnels as the name describes. The Tunnel Bear interface is straight forward and allows you to swipe through all options available to encrypt your internet connection.

However, Tunnel bear has a big limitation for its free account with only 500MB of browsing data every month. But once installed, you’ll be able to bypass all possible internet sanctions and download music, movies, among many others.

Having rolled out a 2nd beta update recently, Android 11 is still work in progress. But as revealed by the search engine giant, 8th September will be the day a final compiled Android 11 version will see daylight.

The reveal was made through a Video published by Google (now deleted) during its online smart home summit. Although the reveal was accidental, stable Android versions have always met the launch pad in September.

September 8th in particular has previously been shared by two releases, Android 10 and 9. Now with Android 11, it means Google’s plans haven’t been affected by the current COVID19 Pandemic even when its annual developer conference was canceled.

So, now that the Android 11 stable release is scheduled to launch in September, purchasing a Smartphone that supports the new OS will require you to look through the list of great 2020 releases, if not continue enjoying a blend of Android 10 that is available on most mid-range releases.

For Instance, #06# leads the lane of useful codes for Android Smartphone users. This is due to the fact that it works on almost every phone as an industry-standard code, but it’s just a sip of the many codes you may need to monitor your device’s behavior.

All available Android codes must be used through the Phone (calls) app or any other available app that provides you with a USSD dial pad.

Initially, every code begins with a # sign that alerts the system for the next digits that may represent a system call linked to a specific service meaning all codes must be input through your dial pad. Nonetheless, below are the codes you need to know.

The Android Shortcodes you need to know

Among the new features, Security takes a notch-stand as design tweaks are drops from the previous Android Q Beta release and were ignored in the official Android 10 release. With Google Pixel users getting an early taste of Android 11, here are 5 cool features tagged to the Beta version of the OS.

Scheduled Dark Mode

Dark mode is a new trend of Smartphone usage that decreases chances of eye strains and high battery usage on a phone by giving apps a dark texture on run time.

Apps like WhatsApp, Twitter, and Instagram now have full dark mode options to cope with the new trend that not only ensures low battery usage but also tags along health benefits.

Well, Android 11’s dark mode feature will allow users to toggle between light and dark mode with the ability to set particular times when lights should go dark.

Improved Permissions

The more developers join the open-source community where Android is a popular resource, It’s the more Apps request for permissions to execute specific tasks to enable specific functions.

From Android 8.0, App permissions were improved in a fashion that before an App is run, it’s usage permissions are displayed to the user who can either accept or deny access to specific functionalities.

In Android 11, a user now has even more power over what apps can do by making permissions more strict. For Instance, a user can choose to grant the App one-time access to a feature or simply have access when the App is open.

Chat Bubbles

Popup Chat Bubbles are most evidenced with Facebook’s Messenger app, but Android 11 is enabling this functionality for every IM App on your Smartphone. This means, you can read and reply your WhatsApp messages without directly opening the App

At the moment Chat Bubbles can only be used by Google messages and Gmail since the operating system is still in Beta mode.

To open Chat Bubbles all you have to do is long-press a message in the notification panel, then it will be opened in-form of a chat bubble similar to the Facebook Messenger-style.

Copy-Paste is now in the Notifications Pane

Unlike all previous Android versions from the first version released in 2008 where copy-paste was a long press procedure. Android 11 ships the feature as a notification bar option to copy or paste Items on your Smartphone.

For Instance, if you wish to copy an image from WhatsApp to your Email composer, all you do is hit Copy on the notification bar, visit the mailbox composer and tap paste (notification button changes to paste) to attach the current clipboard image.

At the moment, the Google Pixel doesn’t have wireless charging capabilities, but Samsung’s line of flagships do. This implies that the feature will be more effective when Wireless charging is adopted by all major Android manufacturers.

Android 11 release dates

At the moment, Android 11 Beta is available for Google Pixel users as the Pixel 5 is expected to be the first Smartphone to ship the operating system. This means Android 11 will be launched between the 3rd and 4th quarter of 2020.

With more features expected to ship with the OS, Google’s dedication to this particular release lies in the ability for users to have more control over their data and ride to a vast features path for all apps on the platform.

Well, have you ever wondered how you can block specific calls or unknown numbers using your Android smartphone? If yes, then we have a boiling solution to put a stop to any unwanted calls the same way you can trigger a trick on WhatsApp with barely no direct shortcut for a contact to regain direct calls access on your phone.

Blocking a specific number/ contact on Android

First of all, major Android releases have never shipped a direct calls block option through the Phone application. However, with tons of caller management apps on the play store, finding the best becomes a huge task for a later date.

Since all releases including Android Go supporting less powerful devices that still don’t support blocking calls through the default calls management service. Then riding on our recommended list of 3^rd party services becomes you direct go ahead with a requirement to double check your default app settings. Nonetheless, here are some of the third party apps you can use to block calls in a flip of a second.

• True Caller
• Calls Blacklist
• Call Blocker
• telGuarder
• Caller ID – Dialer, Phone Contacts & Call blocker

  

What we recommend

For the fact that you can’t directly block calls through the inbuilt Android phone app, riding on the above apps can’t be a compulsory norm of shorting each one of them, but cruising with the best version installed on your phone becomes the charm. Since we have used Truecaller for quite some time now, we believe it’s one the best options to help you put a stop on spammers and block/ blacklist any calls on your phone.

Truecaller as the best alternative to block specific numbers on Android ships a default package of caller identification that lets you know whoever is calling once their number doesn’t have a scent in your contacts book. So, with the app, you’re able to identify who is calling and block them right away before opting for a 2nd shot.

To block a call on Truecaller, simply tap on a number off your call log to trigger the block button which can further mark the caller as a spammer to notify any other app users. Hence, the next time you choose to block an annoying caller, simply double check the Google play store for some interesting options that automatically run in the device background.

Time and time again people lose their phones either through theft or misplacements. But what if you could get your phone back or atleast lock it after it has gone missing to protect your personal data, this is what we are partially exploring today

Using Google Find Your Phone – for Android phones

1. Open your device’s Settings app .
2. Tap Security & Location. (If you don’t see “Security & Location,” tap Google Security.)
3. Tap Find My Device.
4. Turn on Remotely locate this device and Allow remote lock and erase

In case of a stolen/misplaced Android phone

1. Open the Find My Device website Go to
https://www.google.com/android/find in your browser.

2. Log into the website Enter the email address and password for the Android that you want to find.

3. Select your phone Click your phone’s name on the left side of the page. This will prompt Find My Device to begin searching for your Android’s location.

4. Review your phone’s location Once your Android’s location is determined, it will display on-screen. However, if your android is turned off its location may not appear

5. Lock down your phone if necessary If you want to prevent your Android’s data from being recovered, you can lock it down by doing the following:
Click LOCK on the left side of the page
Enter a password if prompted
Enter a message and a recovery phone number if you like
Click LOCK when prompted

Verdict

As long as your phone is switched on with a stable internet link, you have full access over the phone using Google’s web dashboard. Nonetheless, Google’s security features shrink the possibilities of losing one by shipping in Apple’s iCloud feature in a bittersweet format.

Sending an Android apk via Whatsapp procedures

Step 1: Extract/ Download the android app apk to share

Step 2: Locate the android apk in your smartphone’s file manager

Step 3: Hold the apk file to select then tap Rename

Step 4: On the file renaming option, erase the apk file extension and change it to a Whatsapp accepted version like .pdf or .doc

Step 5: Reselect your changed android file which by now cant be installed then choose share via Whatsapp

Step 6: Whatsapp will upload and send the android app in document format ready for download by the receiver

[irp posts=”4354″ name=”How to Manually install Android apps using APKs on your smartphone”]

Receiver’s Side: Installing the received Android package via Whatsapp

Step 1: Download the sent Document (Android app in Document format)

Step 2: Locate the downloaded document in your smartphone and follow Step 3 & 4 above but change to extension .apk

Step 3: tap on the changed file to Install the Android app sent to you via Whatsapp

Step 4: Hooray! Open your installed app ready to use and sent via Whatsapp

If you successfully follow the above steps, sharing your favorite apps will no longer be a terrible experience but rather a very quick easy process. Therefore, forget the old-fashioned Bluetooth sharing techniques, Whatsapp itself allows you to do the impossible.