Thursday 4 April 2013

Android Jelly Bean Problem


We all know that there is nothing scrumptious about the Ice Cream Sandwich or the Jelly Bean – even to a fan boy or a tech geek, simply because the latest software updates by the Google have a host of bugs. If you have had enough with the Jelly Bean and their brilliant versions like 4.2 and 4.2.1 and the latest 4.2.2 and are still perturbed by the bugs common in them, we are here to help you out. Below is a list of the common bugs in these software updates and also the most plausible fixes to tackle the same. Take your time and go through all of them. You may no longer have to curse your Android device, or the one who sold it to you in the first place.

Android Wi-Fi

Common problems and their plausible fixes: 

Problem: No connection to the Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi droppings  
A lot of Android devices have reportedly witnessed this problem in particular. The common reasons perhaps seem to stem from the recent Jelly Bean update but the different version updates have affected the devices differently. The Wi Fi problems can either be due to the router errors or perhaps the settings on it. If you find yourself under a fix, where in the Wi Fi would just refuse to connect or kept on dropping instead, here is what all you can try to fix the same 

Plausible fix – 

Turn the Wi Fi and the router of your android device off. Signal your device to forget the Wi Fi network details once and for all. Hold on to the power button and restart the device, or perhaps you can completely turn off the phone and turn it back on again. Now turn the router back on, also turn on the Wi FI of your device again and enter the details again, afresh. 
Go to the settings menu > Wi Fi > Menu > Advanced on your device and also ascertain that “Keep Wi-Fi on during sleep” is tuned to Always. Also, you may want to uncheck the box against the “Avoid Poor Connections” tab. 


Problem: Random rebooting or freezing

Wi Fi issues bygone, if you see your phone hanging indefinitely, crashing and rebooting itself after a Jelly Bean update, the plausible reason could be that you have downloaded an incompatible app. In plainer words, it means that your phone is on a higher update, where as the app that you have downloaded, clearly is not. Or perhaps one can owe it to a bug in the Jelly Bean update. Google released the 4.2.2 update, which on its own would have fixed a number of issues, including the reboot issues, but if it is not working for you yet, here is what you can try to fix the situation again. 

Plausible fix – 

First and foremost, the most basic things that you can do to fix the situation is to press the power button, turn your device off, let it breathe for a while and then turn it back on later. 
Now, check the apps which are running in Settings > Application manager on the Running tab. Start by removing them one at a time and find out on which app does the rebooting problem occurs. We understand this process can be weirdly time consuming, but you gotta do what you gotta do! 

There after you can do a factory reset by going to Settings > Backup & reset > Factory reset. You would then have to enter your PIN, Password or Pattern when the device prompts you too and Erase everything. Please note that this will erase all the content of your Android, hence you would have to re-install everything. Also, create a back up first of the important data which you rather would not lose. 

Problem: Shallow battery life 

This is one of the most common problem with the Android devices that we have come across as of yet. Smart phones generally are not really popular for their battery life, hence a lot of smart people these days carry an extra fully charged battery with them, just in case, but some people seem to complain that the battery life of their smart phone is particularly worse, the changes seemingly became noticeable after the Jelly Bean update. This could be because of some specific apps or services. If you find your phone’s battery drowning away faster than before, you should first try to reboot your phone. If that does not work, follow the steps below. 

Plausible Fix - 

Take a look at what is draining the battery off it’s life, through Setting > Battery. It was reported that a lot of people felt the difference in their phone’s batter life after switching off Google Now, Google Wallet and NFC Functionality. Perhaps you may have some other app running in the background, and eating away, like a parasite, the battery of your phone. If that is the case, you will find the error some app here and will be able to fix it! 

Another reason for the quick battery drainage could be the fact that you phone is connected to a LTE or perhaps is trying to connect to one. You can fix this by going to the Settings > More Settings > Mobile Networks and then carefully selecting the network mode. 

Lastly, the problem could be from the reading fault in your micro SD card. You may want to remove the card and see if the problem persists still. If it works, then create a back of the micro SD card in your computer and reformat the card thereafter. 

Bluetooth Problem

Problem: Bluetooth not working

It was confirmed by the Google that the 4.2 version of the Android had a Blue Tooth bug which could disrupt audio streaming. If you have experienced issues with the Bluetooth functionality after the 4.2 update, then that is perhaps the reason. 

Plausible Fix – well, gladly you do not have to go for any technical treacherous fix, as the 4.2.1 version took care of the same. 

Problem: Missing December

The brilliant (read – infamous) 4.2 update by the Google also whipped splash the December out of the People App calendar. Gladly enough, it was restored in the 4.2.1 version, so just upgrade – no fix needed there. 

Miscellaneous set of Android Jelly Bean problems

Besides, other problems after the Jelly Bean update has been quite device specific. If you have sorted out the above mentioned issues and yet there remains a host of issues which are still not sorted out, you may want to try looking for specific handsets and then get a gist of the issues.

Also, feel free to share the problems or any other plausible fixes to the ones that we have discussed above in the comments section.

Author Bio:-

Sakshi Bhardwaj is working as Sr. Android Developer at Daffodil Software Ltd., a firm specialized in development of mobile applications for Android platform. Get in touch with Sakshi on Facebook here.

Best MLB Apps for Android Devices

Come April and all you MLB (Major League baseball) are all out to support your teams and follow the game. There are days when as many as 15 games are being played and how do you keep track of the results and the plethora of numbers and stats. If you own an Android device all that is now easy for you as there are a number of apps that offer you insights into the league. We have chosen some of the best Android apps for MLB. Here they are - 

MLB Apps for Android

MLB.com At Bat

This is the MLB mobile app and perhaps the most popular of the lot. Using this app you can stay connected with the latest scores, stats and news about the league. This app also allows you to watch the latest videos and check on the latest fantasy baseball developments. This app works equally well on the Android smartphones and tablets.

9 Innings: 2013 Pro Baseball

This isn’t an app to keep track of the league but is a virtual game in itself. The reason we have listed it here is due to its amazing popularity. What makes this app popular is the fact that it is easy to learn and has functions that allow you variable levels of control. This is a licensed app and includes all your favorite teams and players and is a great entertainer.

MLB.com At The Ballpark   

If you plan to watch the games from the stands this is a must-have app for you. From purchasing tickets to getting directions to the ballpark and checking game schedules this app is your perfect made during the league. This app also offers you the latest on the scores, news and stats related to the game. 

Baseball by StatSheet
 
If you are one of those fans who enjoys all the stats related to the game this app is custom made for you. Here you will come across endless mountains of numbers of the league, teams and the players. Hits, runs, strike outs or the base percentages you name it and this app will throw some interesting results in front of you. Apart from these the apps also offers headlines on the league but doesn’t offer you a detailed coverage on the league something that our next app does.

Sporting News Pro Baseball

As the name of the app suggests this is the perfect app to stay informed on all the latest happening in the world of baseball. Along with the latest news you can also make use of this app to check team standings, current scores, and stat leaders. This is one of the most user-friendly apps that we have listed so far and does best what it is meant for.

ESPN Score Center for Android

This app is a favorite with all kinds of sports lover around the world and thus it makes it to our list. Using this app you can follow your favorite team in the MLB and also keep track of your favorite players. With a re-designed interface this app has lots to offer.

Author Bio:-

Sakshi Bhardwaj is working as Sr. Android Developer at Daffodil Software Ltd., a firm specialized in development of mobile applications for Android platform. Get in touch with Sakshi on Facebook here.

Tuesday 2 April 2013

Tablet Users Are Leading From the Front in Ecommerce

We all know that mobile commerce has been on the rise in the last few years. Almost all ecommerce sites have made it a point to make their websites mobile friendly to increase their sales and revenue. This silent revolution is however being led by the tablet users who form a size able customer base globally. A recent survey conducted on the user trends has thrown out some interesting results. Tablet users are seen to be leading the way in shopping for products and services online and in many cases even stand ahead of their desktop/laptop counterparts.

Ecommerce Tablet User

According to the survey 48% of the tablet users fall in the age group of 18-34 years which is one of the key target areas of most ecommerce stores. This is the segment of the customers that accounts for maximum sales for online stores. Also 43% of the tablet owners have a household income upward of $50000 making them financially stable and more likely to shop for products and services online compared to an average American who browses the Internet regularly. With the number of tablet users increasing with each passing day what these figures reveal us is that tablet users will soon become the key target area for online businesses.

Another thing that has come out of the survey is the fact that the conversion rate or the percentage of leads turning into sales is substantially higher among the tablet users compared to the desktop users. While desktop users have a conversion rate of around 3% it is around 4.5% among the tablet users. These figures shouldn’t come as a surprise at all as tablet users are more likely to be wealthier compared to the desktop users. Also most of the tablet users also have a desktop or laptop that they can use to shop online.

The survey also focussed on the tablet versus phone debate and its relation to the ecommerce stores. Before the advent of the smartphones very few mobile users would actually seal a deal using their phones. But this trend changed once we because used to smarter phones with larger screens. Tablets seem to have taken this to the next and are far exceeding the number of sales using hand held gadgets compared to mobile phones. At least 10% of the tablet users browse through online stores or shop on a daily basis compared to 6% users. This figure reaches around 19% when we are taking about a week’s time.

To make the most out of this emerging trend ecommerce store owners need to make their stores friendly towards the tablets. There are many ways in which they can accomplish these tasks such as making the site iPad-Friendly considering substantial numbers of tablet users own an iPad. They can also make the checkout process much more finger and gesture friendly. They can also get shopping apps developed and promote these apps among their regular customers to hook them on to their online stores.