How To Set Custom Wake Up Command on the Galaxy S6

S Voice is an intelligent personal assistant built into Samsung's newer range of smartphone products. Among the capabilities of S Voice are the ability to ask questions, control applications, conduct internet searches, and even customize a wake up voice command. 

How To Set Up "Wake Up" on the Samsung S6 Edge 

Go to Apps > S Voice and tap on the Cog icon to open S Voice Settings. Tap on Voice wake-upand enable the function. Next, tap on Set wake-up command, and follow the onscreen instructions to set your voice command. You will be asked to repeat your wake up command a couple of times before it is saved. 

At the end of the procedure you will be brought back to S Voice, indicating that your wake up command should be set and operational. 

Wake Up Command Not Working

If your wake up command is not working, simply go back to the Voice wake-up settings and tap on Listen to wake-up command to check if you are using the right command or not. 

Register a New Wake Up Command

Navigate to the Voice wake-up settings and tap on Delete wake-up command. Repeat the above operation to set your new command. 

N.B. Don't forget to enable the Wake up in secured lock feature in S Voice settings to allow voice wake up when the device is locked.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge - How to Customize the Quick Settings Panel

The Quick Settings panel gives you a quick and easy access to your frequently used settings, power saving options, and the radio functions of your smartphone (Wi-Fi, GPS or Bluetooth). You need to toggle some of the features of your smartphone on/ off? Instead of going to Apps >Settings, you simply pull down the Quick Settings panel and activate/turn-off the desired feature. 

You can have up to 10 items displayed in the Quick Settings, 5 in the first row and 5 more when you left swipe on the panel. Want to have specific options displayed in the Quick Settings? This guide explains how to customize Quick Settings panel on the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge: 

Swipe from the top of your screen to display the Quick Settings panel and then tap on the Editbutton: 

The items appearing in the highlighted box are also the ones displayed in the Quick Settingspanel: 

Drag a setting out of the highlighted box to remove it from the Quick Settings panel. You can also change the order in which the items appears, by moving them around within the highlighted box. 

Want to remove S Finder and Quick Connect from the Quick Settings panel? You simply have to clear their corresponding checkboxes: 

How to Share Files Between Mobile Phones and Computers

Your digital photos, documents, music, and other files are spread across a range of devices from your mobile phones to tablets and your computers. The devices are running different operating systems and therefore there’s no starard method that will allow you to easily copy files from one device to another.

For instance, how you do you transfer a file from your Android mobile phone to your iPad? Or how will you send a snippet of text copied on your Windows computer to your iPhone without emailing yourself? What is the quickest way to move multiple files from one Android tablet to another?

Share Files Between Android, iOS, Mac & Windows

The following how-to guide discusses apps, both web-based and mobile apps, that will help you transfer files, photos, web pages and everything else between your desktop computers and mobile devices easily without needing a USB cable.

The popular and most obvious solution for sharing files across devices is email. Send a file to yourself from one device and then download that email attachment on the other device. For bigger files, you can upload them to Dropbox, OneDrive or Google Drive from one device and download on your other device(s). If you are on a Wi-Fi network, prefer Dropbox since it will download the file over LAN instead of the cloud and thus the transfer would happen at a much faster rate.

If you wish to transfer text snippets, web page URLs or even clipboard content from one device to another, Google Keep is a recommended option. You can copy-paste text inside Keep and it instantly becomes available on your Android device. iOS and Mac users can install Scribe or BeamApp to effortlessly copy web page links and text notes from the Mac to your iPhone or iPad.

Like Keep, Push Bullet is another very handy app for sending web pages, map directions, text notes and even small files from your computer to phone, phone to phone or between computers. Push Bullet supports push notifications. It is available for iPhone, Android and desktop computers (as a Chrome add-on) while the iPad version will be available soon.

AirDroid is probably the only app you’ll ever need for moving files in and out of your Android phone and tablet wirelessly. Launch the AirDroid app on your Android, open web.airdroid.com on your desktop browser and scan the QR code to make the connection. Mac can install Droid NAS to access your Android phone’s folders and the SD card inside Finder as a Bonjour computer.

Unlike Android, Apple does not provide access to the iOS file system except for the media gallery. You can use Documents or Good Reader to transfer documents, photos and other files from the computer to your iPad and iPhone (or vice versa) over the local Wi-Fi network. These apps can be mounted as a network drive on your computer and they have a built-in browser to help you download and save web files that won’t download in the Safari browser.

Computer maker Lenovo recently introduced the ShareIt app for sharing files and everything else between your Android, iOS and Windows PCs. The app creates an ad-hoc network for sending files from one device to another and requires no Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth or data connection. The interface is beautiful, uncomplicated and all the recipient has to do is connect their device to the Wi-Fi network created by the app on the sender’s device for transferring files.

The popular JustBeamIt service offers an Android App to help you transfer files from your phone to the computer. Just select a file on the phone inside the JustBeamIt app and it will generate a unique URL. Open this URL on your desktop and the transfer would happen directly between your phone and computer over a P2P connection.

SuperBeam is another useful app for transferring files between Android devices. Select one or more files inside any file manager app and choose SuperBeam from the system-wide sharing menu. It will generate a QR code that you can scan with SuperBeam on your other device and the file transfer will happen automatically. If the two Android devices are not connected to the same Wi-Fi network, SuperBeam will transfer files using Wi-Fi Direct or NFC. The pro version also lets you send files from Android to your Mac, Windows or Linux computer (requires Java).

Any Send also makes it very easy to transfer files or even entire folders between devices over Wi-Fi. It’s more like a cross-platform version of AirDrop. You can copy a file or folder to the clipboard and paste it on your other devices visible inside Any Send. You can share files between Mac and PCs or between your Android phone and desktop computers.

Apple’s AirDrop is the perfect option for transferring files between your Macbook and iMac or between your iPhone and iPad. The upcoming version of AirDrop will also let you send files from Mac to iOS devices but until that happens, you can the free InstaShare app. All you have to do is drag the file from your computer to the target device. It works over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth and, unlike AirDrop, supports older iPhones and Macs as well.

If you need to transfer files between your Android phone and iPhone or iPad,Send Anywhere is a good option. You can send files of any size over peer-to-peer (when the two devices are on the same network) else it uses the cellular connection. All you have to do is pair the two devices by entering a 6-digit key and begin the transfer. They have a web-app as well allowing you to send (or receive) files from the desktop to your iOS or Android device.

Finally, you’ve BitTorrent Sync for automatically syncing folders between Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone and Android devices. The transfers do not involve the cloud – you put a file in the folder of one device and it magically appears on all your other devices.

Choose the Right App for Sharing Files

	Windows	Mac	iOS	Android
Windows PC	BT Sync PushBullet AnySend	BT Sync PushBullet AnySend	BT Sync PushBullet Documents ShareIt	BT Sync PushBullet AnySend ShareIt JustBeamIt
Macbook, iMac	BT Sync PushBullet AnySend	AirDrop BT Sync InstaShare PushBullet AnySend	Beam App BT Sync InstaShare PushBullet Documents	BT Sync InstaShare PushBullet AnySend JustBeamIt DroidNAS
Android	AirDroid BT Sync AnySend ShareIt JustBeamIt	AirDroid BT Sync InstaShare AnySend JustBeamIt DroidNAS	SendAnywhere BT Sync InstaShare ShareIt	SuperBeam SendAnywhere BT Sync InstaShare AnySend ShareIt JustBeamIt
iPhone, iPad	Documents BT Sync ShareIt iTunes	Documents Beam App BT Sync InstaShare iTunes	AirDrop BT Sync InstaShare ShareIt	BT Sync InstaShare ShareIt

How to Train Siri, Cortana, and Google to Understand Your Voice Better

No two people sound exactly alike. Different people have different accents and ways of pronouncing words, and computer voice recognition systems like Siri, Cortana, and Google’s voice search aren’t as good as actual human beings at understanding every voice. Train your voice assistant and it’ll be better at understanding you.

Traditionally, computerized voice recognition systems have required some training before they understood you. Modern voice assistants are designed to “just work,” but you can still make them recognize the words you say more often by training them.

Siri on IOS 9.1

Apple added some voice training features to Siri in iOS 9. Activate the “Hey Siri” feature — which allows you to say “Hey Siri” and start talking to Siri from anywhere — and you’ll be prompted to perform some voice training.

(On most iPhones, this only works while your screen is on or while your phone is plugged in. If you have an iPhone 6s, you can also say “Hey Siri” while your screen is off to start a voice search.)

To activate this feature, open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad, tap the “General” category, and tap “Siri.” Activate the “Allow “Hey Siri”” option and you’ll be prompted to train Siri.

Siri will have you say “Hey Siri”, “Hey Siri, how’s the weather today?”, and “Hey Siri, it’s me.” This will improve Siri’s ability to understand you.

Cortana on Windows 10

Cortana includes a voice-training feature so you can help Cortana understand your voice better. Like Google, Cortana will upload your voice activity and store it to help Cortana learn your voice over time and understand you better — that’s what the “Speech, inking, & typing” privacy setting controls. You could disable it and tell Cortana to “Stop getting to know me,” but then it would have a harder time understanding you.

To start training Cortana, click or tap the Cortana bar on the taskbar, click the “Notebook” icon at the left of the Cortana pane, and select “Settings.” Activate the “Let Cortana respond to “Hey Cortana” option and then click the “Learn my voice” button. Cortana will walk you through saying a variety of phrases to learn your voice. All of these are things you can actually do with Cortana

.

Google on Android, Chrome, and Elsewhere

Google doesn’t include a special training process on Android. However, some manufacturers do offer this feature on their devices. For example, the Moto Voice application on Motorola phones will prompt you to train it by saying several things the first time you open the Moto Voice app.

Instead, Google captures and keeps all the voice searches, voice actions, and voice dictation activities you perform on your phone. It stores this with your “Voice and Audio Activity,” which is tied to your Google account and used on Android, in Chrome, and in Google’s apps on iOS. You’re free to delete or halt collection of this information at any time, but leaving it enabled means Google will learn how to recognize your voice and the way you pronounce words over time.

To choose whether or not your Android device reports this information, use the “Activity controls” pane in the Google Settings app.

None of these training processes are mandatory, but they’ll help the service in question understand you better. If you find yourself annoyed that your phone, tablet, or computer doesn’t understand you as well as it should, it may just need some training.

Other similar programs — for example, speech-to-text programs — generally have their own integrated training features, too. For example, the Speech Recognition feature that’s been part of Windows for years can be trained to work better.

How To Turn Your Windows 8, 8.1, 10 Device Into A WiFi Access Point

Previous editions of Windows allowed users to create ad hoc wireless connections between computers. You could use those connections to create a wireless network between multiple computers or to share the Internet connection that was available on one of them. This can no longer be done in Windows 8.1, at least not using a visual interface and the mouse. However, with the help of the Command Prompt and a few commands, you too can turn your Windows 8.1 laptop or hybrid device into a WiFi access point. Here's how:

NOTE: Lots of readers have asked us for a way to automate the steps described in this tutorial. That is why we have updated the tutorial and created a small program, which aims to automate the steps involved in this process, as much as possible. You can find more information and the download link at the end of the article. However, we do recommend that you read the whole article before using our program, so that you understand how to use it.

What You Need In Order For This To Work

In order to use your Windows 8.1 laptop or hybrid device as an WiFi access point for other devices, it must have at least 2 network cards installed and one of them must be a wireless network card. One of them must be connected to the Internet.

Setup scenarios we tested that worked great include:

• One laptop using its Ethernet connection for Internet access and its WiFi adapter to broadcast - use a network cable to connect your Windows  8, 8.1, 10  laptop to the Internet and the wireless network card for the access point that's sharing the Internet access with other devices.
• One laptop that is connected to the Internet through a USB mobile modem and broadcasts the wireless network through its WiFi adapter - many users will have a USB mobile modem available with 3G or 4G connectivity. They can use it for Internet access and use the wireless network adapter for creating the access point and sharing the Internet access with others.
• One laptop and two wireless network adapters, one connected to the Internet and the other acting as an access point - you won’t find this situation too often, as laptops and hybrid devices don't come with two wireless network cards installed. However, you can install a USB wireless adapter and use it for creating the access point.

Step 1. Create A Virtual WiFi Network in Windows  8, 8.1, 10 

To begin, we'll need to open the Command Prompt with administrative privileges and use a command to create a virtual wireless network that is broadcasted by your Windows 8, 8.1, 10  device.

To show you how this is done, we will create a wireless network called Hotspot. The password for this network will be "Allsoftlearn".

Inside the Command Prompt window, type the following command:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=Hotspot key=Allsoftlearn

Notice that the name of the network is set using the SSID parameter and the password is set using the KEY parameter. Obviously, you can set your own values for them.

To create the access point, press Enter. If all goes well, you should see that the hosted network has been set.

Now you have created a virtual adapter that can function as a wireless access point for other computers and devices in your area. However, in order for it to work, you need to take one more step: turn on this virtual adapter.

Do not close the Command Prompt. Keep it open and enter the following command:

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

Then, press Enter.

The virtual wireless adapter is now started and shown in the Network and Sharing Center.

You can connect all your devices to the newly created wireless network. However, it has no Internet access. If you stop at this point, when you connect other devices and computers to the newly created access point, you can create a network between them and use it to share files and resources.

Step 2. Allow Internet Access For The Devices That Are Connected To The Virtual WiFi Network

Open the Network and Sharing Center. Notice that the virtual network adapter you just created is displayed as active, but it has no Internet access at this time.

Click or tap the connection of the physical network adapter that currently has Internet access. In our case, it is an Ethernet connection.

This opens the Status window for the selected network adapter. Click or tap Properties.

In the Properties window, go to the Sharing tab.

In order to give Internet access to the virtual WiFi adapter that was created earlier, check the box near "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection".

Then, select the virtual adapter that was created earlier.

Click or tap OK and Close to save the settings you've made.

Go back to the Network and Sharing Center and you will notice that the virtual network adapter now has Internet access.

The virtual adapter now gives Internet access to all the devices that are connected to it.

Download WhatsApp Photos via Dropbox

A friend has a book publishing business and have customers across the country who sell these books. They are old-school businesses that always relied on paper-based forms and fax for sending orders but now that they have WhatsApp on their mobile phones, they write their requirements on paper, snap an image and send it via WhatsApp. On this side, the received WhatsApp images are saved to the computer, printed and sent to the respective departments for processing.

The problem with the workflow is that there are quite a few steps involved after the WhatsApp image is received. Since WhatsApp neither offers a desktop client and nor does it allow integration with services like IFTTT or Zapier, the incoming images have to manually transferred from the phone to computer for sending to the printer. Is there a way to automate these steps? Yes.

When a photograph, or any media file, is received inside WhatsApp, it is automatically saved to the phone’s physical memory. The media is downloaded without you having to open the corresponding message (we are dealing with Android here, the iPhone version of WhatsApp may work differently).

Now that we know that the incoming image file is on the phone’s SD card, all we need is way to automatically transfer the file to our computer. That’s where Dropbox or Google Drive can help.

We can watch the Media folder of WhatsApp and as soon as a new file is added to that folder, it is automatically synced with Dropbox. MetaCtrl has Android apps for Dropbox, Google Drive and Box that can help here.

1. Open your Dropbox and create a folder, say WhatsApp.
2. Launch the DropSync app and authorize it to access your Dropbox account.
3. Set the Local (watch) folder as/storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Images and set the Dropbox folder as the one that you created in Step #1.
4. Set the sync method as “Upload only” so that it is not a 2-way sync and only WhatsApp images are sent to Dropbox but not the other way.
5. Go to the app settings and change the Autosync Interval to 5 minutes (the default is an hour).

That’s it. Within minutes of you getting an image on WhatsApp, it will be sent to your Dropbox account in the cloud and since you have Dropbox running on your desktop too, the image will be downloaded on the computer as well.

Automatically Printing the WhatsApp Photos

The next step is to send these images from the Dropbox folder to your printer connected to the computer.

This isn’t difficult either. You can open this Windows Printing script on the computer and it will automatically send images from the Dropbox folder to the printer. A similar remote printing option is available for Mac and Linux as well.

Please do however note that this will download and print all WhatsApp images so you want to have a human layer that discards the non-essential ones.

The Best Twitter Apps for your Mobile Phone

If you try accessing Twitter from the browser of a mobile phone, Twitter will automatically serve you the mobile-optimized version of their site. However, if in case Twitter fails to recognize your smartphone, you can manually type m.twitter.com to directly access the mobile site of Twitter from your phone.

The Best Mobile Applications for Twitter

Now that’s one way to use Twitter from your mobile phone. You also have a wide variety of mobile apps for Twitter that not only offer a much better experience than Twitter’s mobile site but they also integrate with some of your phone functions like the built-in camera. Have a look!

1. Twitter Apps for BlackBerry

1a. OpenBreak – Originally known as TwitterBerry, OpenBreak is one of the most popular Twitter apps for BlackBerry. You can take a picture with your BlackBerry camera and directly post it to Twitter via TwitPic or yfrog using TwitterBerry.

The app will automatically recognize #hashtags in the tweets and a notification icon will show you the number of new messages in your Twitter timeline just like your BlackBerry displays notifications for unread emails or missed calls.

1b. UberTwitter – Another popular Twitter client for BlackBerry, UberTwitter is location-aware so it can automatically update your location based on the cell tower information even if your BlackBerry phone doesn’t support GPS (likeGoogle Latitude). The latest beta of UberTwitter also includes support for Twitter Lists.

1c. Seesmic – With Seesmic, you can track all your saved searches and Twitter lists inside your BlackBerry phone. Just like most other BlackBerry apps, Seesmic can run in the background and notify you of new direct messages and @replies via the famililar notification icons.

2. Twitter Apps for Nokia Phones

2a. Tweets60 – As the name suggests, Tweets60 is a native Twitter client for Nokia S60 smartphones that is available in both free and pro versions. This application is primarily for users who just want to quickly update their own status on Twitter as well as follow what their other friends are saying on Twitter.

The pro version supports additional features like the ability to post images to TwitPic and follow search terms on Twitter.

2b. Gravity – Gravity is a hugely popular and powerful Twitter client for Nokia S60 smartphones. With Gravity, you can manage multiple Twitter accounts, save links from tweets to your delicious account, post pictures to any of the Twitter-friendly photo sharing site like TwitPic of YFrog and it obviously supports all the other Twitter functions like retweets, direct messages, favorites, etc.

You can download a 10-day trial version of Gravity from the Ovi Store.

2c. Snaptu – Snaptu is an all-in-one application that lets you manage your Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and even your Google Picasa account from the mobile phone. Snaptu’s Twitter application provides all the basic Twitter functionality – status updates, direct messages, @replies – while their Facebook component lets you update statuses and you can also read and write messages using Facebook email.

Snaptu works with any Java-enabled mobile phone including Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Motorola models.

3. Twitter Apps for Windows Mobile

3a. Tiny Twitter – This is a free Twitter application for Windows Mobile that provides all the basic Twitter functionality. One of the unique features in Tiny Twitter is that you can temporarily suspend a Twitter user so that his tweets won’t appear in your timeline though he would still remain in your follow list.

3b. PockeTwit – This is another popular Twitter client for Windows Mobile with support for multiple accounts. You can take a picture from your camera and post it directly to Twitter via PockeTwit. The application features a nice sliding interface so you can drag the tweets to the left to see all the actions that you can take on that tweet. PockeTwit is free and open-source.

3c. Twikini – The app integrates with Windows Media Player so you can tweet the name of the song that you are currently listening to. Twikini can shrink URLs using Bit.ly or TinyURL so you have more space for text and it also displays Twitpic images inline. If you have a GPS enabled mobile phone, you can also add your location to the tweet with Twikini. The app costs $4.95 though a 14-day trial is available for free.

4. Twitter Apps for Android Phones

4a. Twidroid – This is probably the most popular Twitter app for Android phones – the basic version is free but you’ll have to get the PRO version in case you want to manage multiple Twitter accounts from the same application.

Twidroid supports all features of Twitter including Twitter lists. You can shake your Android phone to fetch the latest tweets but this again requires the pro edition.

4b. Seesmic – With Seesmic for Android, you can capture photos or record videos and share them on directly Twitter via yFrog. The app will also let you share you current location on Twitter. You can configure Seemic to notify you with a custom ringtone (or a blinking light) when there’s a new @reply or direct message for you on Twitter.

5. Twitter Apps for iPhone and iPod Touch

5a. Tweetdeck – TweetDeck is a brilliant application that you may use to manage both Facebook and your multiple Twitter accounts from the iPhone or iPod Touch.

The app will automatically sync with TweetDeck Desktop so if you have created any custom search columns on the desktop, they’ll also become available inside the mobile app (and vice-versa). Just shake your iPhone to check if there are any new updates.

5b. Tweetie – This $3 app is one of the most popular Twitter client for iPhone with a very impressive UI. There’s an offline mode so you can do things like reading past tweets, following new people, replying to tweets, etc. even without a data connection. You also get a bookmarklet that lets you post links from Safari directly to Twitter via the Tweetie app.

5c. Twittelator – One of the unique features of Twittelator is that it lets you record and tweet both audio and video clips from your iPhone. You can even tweet the name of the song that’s currently playing on your iPhone. The basic version of Twittelator is available for free on the iTunes store.

5d. Echofon – This is light-weight Twitter client for the iPhone that is free and supports nearly all the basic function of Twitter. The $5 pro version of Echofon supports push notifications so you’ll get an alert when another Twitter user sends you a direct message or mentions you in his or her tweet.

More ways to use Twitter on mobile phones

If you can’t find a decent Twitter application for your mobile phone, you should check out Dabr. This is like an improved version of Twitter’s mobile site.

Dabr will display a more detailed profile of Twitter users so you can quickly decide whether or not to follow a particular user. It will auto-convert Twitpic and other picture URLs into thumbnails so you can view images directly in your Twitter timeline without having to click the click. And since Dabr is a mobile website, you can use it from just about any mobile phone, not just a smartphone.

Another option is email. Just associate your Twitter account with Posterous and then you’ll be able to post updates on Twitter by sending emails to twitter@posterous.com. Whatever you put in the email subject will be converted into your Twitter status.

This email to twitter option will be quite handy if your phone plan allows unlimited email but you need to pay for every extra byte that you download on the phone (lot of BlackBerry plans are like this).

Related: Best Twitter Apps for Windows

Most Popular Software Applications for Mobile Phones (BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Palm)

List of most popular mobile phone apps based on number of downloads at Handango website compiled for Business Week. Some of them are must have software if you want to take that smartphone to the next level.

Windows Mobile Phones

Microsoft Voice Command – Another application that makes it easier to use voice commands, this time to look up contacts, make phone calls, and choose music.

Spb Mobile Shell 1.5 – Users of Windows Mobile devices can improve digital menus with software that displays such content as appointments and weather forecasts in an uncluttered way.

Spb Diary 2.5 (Windows Mobile Phones) – This personal organizer allows users of Windows Mobile devices to enhance their Pocket Outlook experience by viewing contacts, tasks, and notes in a single place, eliminating the need to toggle from one window to the next.

Spb Pocket Plus – Another tool that lets the user change the look of what’s displayed on the screen, this software lets Microsoft Mobile users customize calendars, more easily close programs, and scroll contact lists using a finger. It also makes sure you don’t lose information during restarts.

Pocket Informant 2007 – Created for Pocket PC devices, this software lets users create and move appointments and tasks. Perfect for planning.

Palm

PocketMirror Standard Edition – The software helps users sync Microsoft Outlook features, such as Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks, with comparable Palm OS applications on a handset.

VoiceControl (Nuance Communications) – The software enables users of devices based on the Palm operating system to voice-dial, dictate e-mail and text messages, and view Web content without pressing a button.

RIM BlackBerry

Ringtone Megaplex for BlackBerry – Designed for Research In Motion’s BlackBerry devices, this software offers more than 1,000 distinctive ringtones in genres from classical to pop.

Ringphonic Lite – This application lets BlackBerry owners personalize ringtones with music from their favorite musicians or movie themes. Users can download four new ringtones a month.

MobiTV – Offers Television and Digital Radio on any mobile phones.

With more than a million subscribers, MobiTV offers many popular TV channels from content providers such as MSNBC, ABC News Now, CNN, Fox News, Fox Sports, ESPN 3GTV, NBC Mobile, CNBC, CSPAN, The Discovery Channel, TLC, The Weather Channel and others that deliver cartoons, music videos and comedy.