How to Read your Android Battery Graph

Your Android mobile phone includes a built-in app to help you visually monitor the battery usage pattern. Go to Settings > Battery (the app’s location may vary for your version of Android) and you’ll see a history graph detailing which apps have been consuming the most battery power and how long you can use the device before the battery is completely drained off.

If you observe the Android battery graph more closely, you’ll find some other interesting details as well. For instance, you’ll know the pattern of your mobile signal strength, how often apps running in the background ‘wake up’ your sleeping device and so on.

This is the main battery graph and is easy to interpret. If there are any breaks, it indicates that the device was powered off during that period. If there are any red or yellow lines over the graph, it indicates that the charge was critically low during that period. The gray area represents the approximate remaining charge.

Related Tip: Do not let your phone’s battery charge dip the below the 10% mark as that will affect your phone’s battery life in the long run.

If you tap the battery history graph, it will provide a more detailed breakdown of the battery usage and charge times as shown in the screenshot below.

The colored bars in the Mobile Network Signal indicate the strength of signal (or number of cellular bars). The dark green bars indicate strong signal (full bars), light green is a good signal, yellow means a weak connection (3 bars or less) while the red bars indicate ‘scanning’ mode meaning the device is searching for a network signal.

If your device is in airplane mode, or when you are out of coverage area, the network signal block will be blank (white or, for some models, black).

The Wi-Fi block indicates the time when the radio was turned on though the device may not be actually connected to a Wi-Fi network. The colored strips for charging indicate the time when your Android phone was connected to the charger. The ascending slopes in the battery graph is also an indicator of the charging time.

The colored blocks in the Awake bar represent background apps that may be running even while the screen is off. For instance, your mail app periodically checks for new email even while the phone is in ‘sleep’ mode. If you notice any extended ‘awake’ blocks, it means that some battery-draining apps are keeping your phone active and should be uninstalled.

The GPS line indicates the duration when the GPS receiver is powered on and some app or system service tried to use GPS to determine your exact location. Finally, the ‘Screen On’ bar indicates the actual usage time when the screen was turned on and not in standby mode.

Tips to Extend the Life of your Gadget’s Batteries

Your mobile phones, tablets and laptops have rechargable Lithim Ion batteries that lose capacity as they age but with good care, the batteries may last for 2 to 3 years or even longer. What can you do to increase the overall lifespan of your gadget’s battery? Should you keep your mobile devices charged or wait for the charge to drop to 0% before charging them again?

I recently scanned the websites of consumer electronics companies, includingHP, Asus, Apple, Dell and also Battery University – for their recommendations on how to maximize the battery life and here’s a quick summary of what I learned:

1. Avoid deep discharge meaning you should not continue using the device until the battery drains down to 10% or below. The optimal charge level for Li-Ion batteries is suggested between 40% and 70% and, if possible, charge your device in short bursts multiple times a day.

2. If you are not planning to use a gadget for long periods, like more than a month, charge them to around 50% before storing. If the device is fully charged, discharge to the half-way mark, power-down the device and store in a cool dry place.

3. You should never store a device that is either fully charged or completely discharged for extended periods as both these states would result in loss of battery capacity. If you are leaving your mobile device in the closet unused for longer than six months, charge it to 50% every six months to maintain battery health and also reduce the aging effect.

4. Do not leave your gadgets in the car on a hot afternoon as prolonged exposure to temperatures higher than 35°C can permanently damage the capacity of your mobile phone’s battery.

5. It is OK to leave your mobile phone plugged in at night for charging but the mobile case could be an issue. The heat generated during the charging needs an exit vent and if the design of your mobile case doesn’t allow that, it maybe a good idea to remove the case before plugging-in the charger.

That said, these tips will mostly benefit people who do not upgrade their gadgets frequently. For others, don’t sweat too much as you’ll probably replace the phone even before the battery starts to degrade.

And while we are on the topic of batteries, watch this TED video that explains how batteries work and why even the best batteries will slowly lose capacity and eventually die.

How to Make Your Wired Printer Wireless

Your laptop and desktop computers are connected over a Wi-Fi network but you still need a physical USB cable to connect your wired printer to one of these computers.

If you find your existing setup a bit inconvenient and are looking for ways that will help you print documents from the same printer but wirelessly, here are some choices.

Turn any Wired Printer into a Wireless Network Printer

More new printers these days are network enabled so you can just attach them to your home network using the Ethernet port (or over Wi-Fi) and print from any other computer in the home network. However, if you are using an old USB based printer, you can use a wireless print server to turn that wired printer into a wireless one.

Wireless print servers are small devices (they look like mini routers) that have a USB port. You just have to connect the printer to this wireless print server using a regular USB cable and the printer will then become available to all other computers in your wireless network.

Here’s an overview of some of the most popular wireless print servers:

Netgear WGPS606 – This is both a wireless print server and a wired router.   It has two USB ports so you may use the device for sharing up to two printers over the wireless network. The same print server can also help you connect four different computers to the network even if they are not fitted with wireless network adapters. Costs around $60.

Linksys Print Server – This wireless print server from Cisco makes it easy to access all the functions of your all-in-one printer over the wireless network.   The Print Server can connect most USB based multifunction printers to your network using an Ethernet cable or Wireless-G. The print function works like any other print server but for scanning or copying, a user can request exclusive use of that function until his task is complete. Costs around $80.

HP Wireless Kit – If you like to turn your wired HP printer into a wireless one, the HP Wireless Printing Kit could be a good choice as it integrates fully with all features of your printer, including print, scan, and fax. It comes with a USB transmitter that you need to insert into the computer for wireless printing. The advantage is that you can print wirelessly even if you don’t have a wireless network. Requires Windows and costs around $75.

If you don’t have a wireless network at your place, you can consider getting a Bluetooth adapter for your printer. You need to attach the Bluetooth dongle to your computer and print wirelessly though the range will obviously be limited. Check your printer manufacturer’s site if they provide a Bluetooth adapter for your printer model.

Should You Buy a Wireless Print Server?

Before you invest in a wireless print server for your printer, consider this.

Today, most multifunction printers include wireless capabilities and can therefore connect directly to your wireless network without any additional hardware. Some of these printers are available in the $100 range. With this in mind, does it make more sense to purchase a new printer instead of buying a wireless print server for your existing printer?

Here are some possible scenarios:

• If your current printer is relatively new and you paid more than $100 for it, then it may be more economical for you to simply purchase a wireless print server instead of purchasing an entirely new printer with the same features.
• If a wireless printer in not available in your area, you can buy a regular USB based wired printer and get someone to ship you a wireless print server. This would incur less shipping costs than ordering a wireless printer.
• Some wireless print servers can be used as wireless routers. If you do not have a wireless router at your place, you can opt for a wireless print server as it will not only turn your printer wireless but you also get to setup a wireless home network.

Also see: Secure Your WiFi Home Network

Why Windows Users Buy Laptops Preloaded with Free DOS?

If you are looking to buy one of the mid-range laptops, you may have noticed that some laptop manufacturers, especially Dell and Lenovo, offer you a choice in operating systems for the same hardware configuration.  The two machines carry identical hardware but one model is loaded with genuine Windows 7 while the other is on Free DOS. Some laptops may have Ubuntu Linux in place of Free DOS.

Why Windows Users go for FreeDOS / Linux Laptops?

The DOS / Linux based laptops are obviously less expensive than their Windows 7 counterparts as the vendor need not pay any Windows licensing fee to Microsoft and some of that price benefit is passed on to the consumer.

The important question is that if you are a Windows user and want a laptop with Windows 7, why would you even consider one that has Linux or Free DOS even if it is cheaper?

I was talking to a laptop dealer and he offered a very convincing reason. He said that most people who opt for Free DOS / Linux based laptops, purchase a retail (licensed) copy of Windows 7 DVD separately and then they overwrite the DOS with Windows 7.

Isn’t that tedious? People take this route because, unlike the OEM copy of Windows which is tied to one particular computer, they have an option to transfer the retail Windows license to any another computer later should they decide to sell /donate their old laptop. Piracy could be the other big reason why people may be opting for these non-Windows machines.

How to Connect an External Microphone to your iOS Device

With apps like Adobe Story, iMovie and ScreenChomp, it has become relatively easier for anyone to produce movies, slideshows, podcasts and other visual content on their iPads and iPhones. That said, the camera has improved considerably over the years but the one area where iOS devices still need to catch up is the audio. The in-built mic isn’t bad but if you would like to produce videos with high-quality audio, you will have to use an external microphone.

How to Use a USB Microphone with iOS

When it comes to choosing an external microphone for your iOS device, you have two options.

You can either use a plug-n-play iOS compatible microphone that directly plugs into your iPad or iPhone with a lightning to USB cable. One end goes into the USB microphone while the other into the lightning connector port. The recently launched Rode NT USB and Apogee MiC 96k are some of the best iOS condenser microphones in the market. They ship will all the necessary lightning and USB cables and require no batteries or external powered USB hubs.

Alternatively, if you already have a good-quality USB microphone that you are using with your computer – like the Samson or the Blue Yeti – the good news is that you can save some money and connect your existing desktop mic to your iPad or iPhone with the help of few cables and accessories .

To get started, you would need a powered USB hub (look for the power adapter symbol in the description, also go for USB 3.0) and the lightning to USB adapter(remember, it’s the adapter and not the cable). Now connect the iPhone /iPad to the USB microphone through the USB hub as shown in the illustration above.

1. Plug one end of the Apple Lightning to USB adapter into the Lightning port of your iPhone or iPad and connect the other end to the powered USB hub through the supplied USB Type B cable.
2. Use the power adapter cord to connect the hub to the electrical outlet.
3. Connect the external USB microphone to one of the available ports on the hub using the same USB cable that you were previously using to connect the mic to the desktop computer.

That’s it. You can open any app – Garageband or iMovie for example – and try recording your voice using the external mic. Tap the microphone head and if you notice a spike in the waveform, the connections are working properly.

If you are unable to hear the recorded audio, remove the lightning adapter from the iOS device and replay the audio. Or if your external desktop microphone has a headphone jack, you can use that to live-monitor the sound coming out of your iOS device.

[*] While you can connect an iOS device to a USB microphone directly using a lightning to USB cable, iOS is likely to throw an error saying – “Cannot use device – The connected device requires too much power”.

A Visual Guide to Computer Cables and Connectors

Computer cables are confusing to most users. Here’s a visual guide to help you quickly identify all the common cable and connectors that came bundled with your computers, mobile phones and other electronic gadgets. You may also refer to this guide for ideas on how to hook different devices using commonly available connectors and converters.

Also see: Organize Computer Cables with Binder Clips

1. USB Cables and Connectors 

You can use USB cables to connect most new devices to your computer including flash memory sticks, portable media players, internet modems and digital cameras.

Computer accessories like mice, keyboards, webcams, portable hard-drives, microphones, printers, scanners and speakers can also be connected to the computer through USB ports. Additionally, USB cables are also used for charging a variety of gadgets including mobile phones or for transferring data from one computer to another.

How to recognize USB Cables – The standard USB connector, USB-A ,  is a rectangular connector. The USB-A end is present on every USB cable as it is the end that connects to your computer.

The other end of the USB cable may have different connectors including USB-B (a square connector commonly used with printers, external hard drives, and larger devices) or smaller connectors such as the Mini-USB and Micro-USB that are commonly used with portable devices such as media players and phones.

Additionally, many other connectors have USB-A connectors at the end that connects to the computer, and a device-specific connector at the other end (e.g. the iPod or a Zune). Then you have USB Male to Female connectors for extending the length of a USB cable.

Many other non-USB cables can also connect to your computer via a USB converter; these cables have the standard USB-A connector on one end while the other end could have connections for other ports such as Ethernet or audio.

2. Audio Cables and Connectors

2.1 – 3.5mm headphone jack

The most common audio cable is the standard headphone jack, otherwise known as TSR connector. It is available in several sizes, but the most common ones used with computers are the 3.5 mm or 1/8″ mini audio jack.

Most speakers and microphones can connect to the computer with these audio cables. The microphone port on your computer is usually pink while the speaker port, where you insert the stereo audio cable, is colored green. Some computers have additional TSR audio ports colored black, grey, and gold; these are for rear, front, and center/subwoofer output, respectively.

A larger variety of the TSR connector, 1/4″ TRS, is commonly used in professional  audio recording equipment and it can be connected to a computer using an 1/4″ to 1/8″ converter (pictured right).

2.2 – Digital Optical Audio

For high-end audio, like when you want to connect the output of a DVD player or a set-top box to a Dolby home theater, you need the TOSLINK (or S/PDIF) connector.

These are fiber optic cables and can therefore transmit pure digital audio through light. Some laptops and audio equipment have a mini-TOSLINK jack but you can use a converter to connect it to a standard TOSLINK (Toshiba Link) port.

3. Video Cables

3.1 – VGA

One of the most common video connectors for computer monitors and high-definition TVs is the VGA cable. A standard VGA connector has 15-pins and other than connecting a computer to a monitor, you may also use a VGA cable to connect your laptop to a TV screen or a projector.

Converter cables are lso available to let VGA monitors connect to newer computers that only output HDMI or DVI signals. A smaller variant of VGA,Mini-VGA, is available on some laptops but with the help of a converter, you can connect any standard VGA monitor to a Mini-VGA port of your laptop.

Related: How to Connect your Laptop to a TV Set

3.2 – DVI Monitor Port

If you have purchased a computer in the recent past, chances are that it uses DVI  Mini-DVI and Micro-DVI (first seen in MacBook Air).

instead of VGA. The new breed of “thin” laptops use the smaller variants of DVI like the

A DVI cable has 29 pins, though some connectors may have less pins depending on their configuration. DVI’s video signal is compatible with HDMI, so a simple converter can allow a DVI monitor to receive input from an HDMI cable.

Additionally, DVI to VGA converters are also available for connect your new graphics card to old monitor that supports only VGA mode.

3.3 – S-Video

S-Video cables, otherwise known as Separate Video or Super Video cables, carry analog video signals and are commonly used for connecting DVD players, camcorders, older video consoles to the television.

Standard S-Video connectors are round in shape and may have anywhere between 4-9 pins.

4. Audio and Video Cables

4.1 – RCA Connector Cables

RCA connector cables are a bundle of 2-3 cables including Composite Video (colored yellow) and Stereo Audio cables (red for right channel and white or black for the left audio channel).

Sometimes additional cables may be included, offering additional audio channels and/or component video instead of composite. Component video offers better picture than composite because the video signal is split in different signals while in the case of composite, everything is transferred through a single yellow plug.

Uses of RCA Connectors – The RCA cables are usually used for connecting your DVD player, stereo speakers, digital camera and other audio/video equipment to your TV. You can plug-in an RCA cable to the computer via a video capture card and this will let you transfer video from an old analog camcorder into your computer’s hard drive.

4.2 – HDMI Cables  

HDMI is the new standard that provide both audio and video transmission through a single cable. HDMI support a maximum resolution of 4096×2160p (HD is only 1920×1200) with up to 8 channels of digital audio and are used for connecting Blu-Ray players to an HDTV.

Standard HDMI cables can be up to 5 meters long, but higher quality ones can be up to 15 meters long, and the length can be further increased with amplifiers. HDMI is backwards compatible with DVI so you can use a converter to watch video on a DVI device through the HDMI cable though you will have to use another cable for the audio.

4.3 – DisplayPort  

A combined digital video and audio cable that is more commonly used in computers is DisplayPort and the smaller derivative Mini DisplayPort. Both support resolutions up to 2560 × 1600 × 60 Hz, and additionally support up to 8 channels of digital audio.

Mini DisplayPort connector is currently used in MacBooks but we could them in other computers as well in the near future.

Standard DisplayPort cables can be up to 3 meters long, but at a lower resolution cables can be up to 15 meters long.  DisplayPort connectors are available to connect VGA, DVI video, or HDMI video and audio with a DisplayPort cable or connection.  Additionally, converters are available to convert Mini DisplayPort into standard DisplayPort.

5. Data Cables 

5.1 – Firewire IEEE 1394

Firewire, otherwise known as IEEE 1394, i.LINK, or Lynx, is a faster alternate to USB and is commonly used for connecting digital camcorders and external hard drives to a computer. It is also possible to ad-hoc network computers without a router over FireWire.

Firewire typically has 6 pins in its connector, though a 4 pin variety is common as well.

5.2 – eSATA Cables 

While SATA cables are used internally for connecting the hard drive to the computer’s motherboard, eSATA cables are designed for portable hard drives, and can transfer data faster than USB or FireWire.

However, the eSATA cable cannot transmit power, so unlike USB, you cannot power an external hard drive with eSATA. The eSATA cable is somewhat different from the internal SATA cable; it has more shielding, and sports a larger connector.

6. Networking Related Cables 

6.1 – Phone RJ11 Cable

The telephone cable, otherwise known as RJ11, is still used around the world for connecting to the Internet through DSL/ADSL modems. A standard phone cable has 4 wires and the connector has four pins.

The connector has a clip at the top to help maintain a tight connection.

6.2 – Ethernet Cable 

Ethernet is the standard for wired networking around the world. The Ethernet cable, otherwise known as RJ45, is based on Cat5 twisted pair cable and is made from 8 individual wires.

The Ethernet connector, likewise, has 8 pins and looks similar to a phone plug, but is actually thicker and wider. It too has a clip to help maintain a tight connection like a phone connector.

Neatly Organize USB Cables and Charging Cords on your Desk

If you have USB cables, cell phone chargers and other connecters lying all around your desk, just get a couple of binder clips from your nearest stationery store and fix them to one edge of your table as shown in the picture.

Reduce Cable Clutter on your Desk

The wire arms (or the handles)  of the binder clip can act as “holders” to not only give you quick access to your most frequently used computer cables but they’ll also prevent the wires from falling off your computer table.

Binder Clips are available in many different sizes so if you are working on a thick desk, you may want to buy a larger version of the clip.

Tips to Extend the Life of your Gadget’s Batteries

Your mobile phones, tablets and laptops have rechargable Lithim Ion batteries that lose capacity as they age but with good care, the batteries may last for 2 to 3 years or even longer. What can you do to increase the overall lifespan of your gadget’s battery? Should you keep your mobile devices charged or wait for the charge to drop to 0% before charging them again?

I recently scanned the websites of consumer electronics companies, including HP, Asus, Apple, Dell and also Battery University – for their recommendations on how to maximize the battery life and here’s a quick summary of what I learned:

1. Avoid deep discharge meaning you should not continue using the device until the battery drains down to 10% or below. The optimal charge level for Li-Ion batteries is suggested between 40% and 70% and, if possible, charge your device in short bursts multiple times a day.

2. If you are not planning to use a gadget for long periods, like more than a month, charge them to around 50% before storing. If the device is fully charged, discharge to the half-way mark, power-down the device and store in a cool dry place.

3. You should never store a device that is either fully charged or completely discharged for extended periods as both these states would result in loss of battery capacity. If you are leaving your mobile device in the closet unused for longer than six months, charge it to 50% every six months to maintain battery health and also reduce the aging effect.

4. Do not leave your gadgets in the car on a hot afternoon as prolonged exposure to temperatures higher than 35°C can permanently damage the capacity of your mobile phone’s battery.

5. It is OK to leave your mobile phone plugged in at night for charging but the mobile case could be an issue. The heat generated during the charging needs an exit vent and if the design of your mobile case doesn’t allow that, it maybe a good idea to remove the case before plugging-in the charger.

That said, these tips will mostly benefit people who do not upgrade their gadgets frequently. For others, don’t sweat too much as you’ll probably replace the phone even before the battery starts to degrade.

And while we are on the topic of batteries, watch this TED video that explains how batteries work and why even the best batteries will slowly lose capacity and eventually die.

Where Am I ? Find your Latitude and Longitude position with Loki

I neither know my street address nor the city name. So how do I determine the exact latitude and longitude of my current location without using handheld GPS receiver ? 

You just landed in an unfamiliar city at midnight and your taxi driver takes you straight from the airport to the hotel. Before you crash on the bed, you want to plan your next day like what are the nearby restaurants, places to see, shopping stores, etc.

Now the problem is that there's nobody at the hotel helpdesk to help you with this data. Yes, you could have used Google Local to get all this [local tourist] information but unfortunately you are not sure about your current geolocation so how does Google help you ? 

Well, there's an easy out - Start your web browser and use the Loki extension to find your exact physical location using Wi-Fi. While there are tons of sites that help you find your latitude and longitude by city or Street address, Loki will pinpoint your exact location on a world map without requiring any input from you.


Once installed, Loki can be integrated with services like Google Maps, A9 Maps, Flickr geotagging, Weather.com or for even locating the nearing Walmart or Home Depot store. You can also share your current location with anyone who owns a mobile phone via SMS.

My Computer isn't WiFi enabled
When you dont' have a wi-fi access, Loki will use your current IP Address to figure out your latitude/longitude (like ip2location) though it's not so accurate and only an approximation of your geographic location.

Is Loki available in my city or country ?
Loki is built on top of the Skyhook Wireless WiFi Positioning System which uses WiFi access points to triangulate your computer's position. So it's available in most parts of the US and will soon expand to European and Asian cities.

Loki is like your virtual GPS device embedded inside your computer. Give it a shot.

Loki | Loki Channels | Download Loki - for Firefox, for IE

Useful Latitude / Longitude Tools and Resources

Latitude/Longitude Distance Calculation - Calculate the physical distance between two points on the earth given their latitudes and longitudes [in miles or kilometers]

Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names - find out the latitude and longitude of any street, city or country.

Mapquest Maps - Map a lat/long coordinate using degrees or decimal values. 

Listen Music on your iPod Together with Multiple Friends

If you are traveling or sitting in a coffee shop with friends but have only one iPod, all of you can enjoy the same music simultaneously using this new iPod accessory called Belkin Rockstar.

This is essentially a $20 splitter that divides music from one iPod into multiple headphones.

While it is slightly tough to imagine people carrying spare headphones in their pockets, this iPod accessory may be useful at homes where children have to share one iPod.

Remote Control Windows Mobile Phone From Desktop Computer

Remote control your Windows Mobile device from your desktop or laptop computer with Pocket Controller-Pro 6.0. Also supports Windows Vista.

Presentation Tools – Display on a projection system during training or presentation sessions.

Real-Time Remote Control – Operate from your desktop PC using your keyboard & mouse.

Viewing Modes – View & control in corresponding skin or in windows mode.

Explore Tool – Transfer, delete, rename & search files. Create folders with custom attributes.

File Synchronization – Configure convenient synchronization rules to suit your needs.

Task Manager – View detailed information about all running applications & processes.

Convert Your Hotel Room Into a Wi-Fi Hotspot

Roger Yu – Nearly all major hotel chains have wired Internet connections in rooms, but many are still lacking in-room Wi-Fi. James A. Martin, who writes a business technology blog called Traveler 2.0, gets around this problem with a Linksys Wireless-G Travel Router.

It’s a small, portable router that lets travelers “take a wireless network wherever you go,” the company says. A guest in a hotel room can establish a Wi-Fi network by connecting the room’s ethernet cable to the device’s port. It also works for several colleagues who want to share one paid Wi-Fi log-on in a hot spot.

Martin says: “You can work wherever you want in the room, instead of at the desk. And if you’re traveling with someone, you can both share the same Internet connection, rather than taking turns. Link

Change The Sensitivity of BlackBerry TrackBall

If  the trackball (that white Pearl like ball) in your BlackBerry is responding too fast, try to lower the sensitivity number.

To change the sensitivity of the trackball on the BlackBerry, follow these steps:

1. On the Home screen, go to Options > Screen/Keyboard.
2. In the Trackball section, click Horizontal Sensitivity or Vertical Sensitivity to change the sensitivity level.
3. Press the Menu key and then select Save. The new sensitivity levels are saved.

Note: A higher sensitivity number indicates a higher sensitivity level for the trackball.