Google Nexus 4: 10 Time Saving Tips

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Google’s latest smartphone – Google Nexus 4, has been out for quite some time now, but initially the phone frequently went out of stock. But finally, it’s back and available from Play Store. This smartphone from Google has attracted the eyes of many because of its impressive specs (like Quad core processor and 2GB RAM) and affordable pricing.

So if you’ve got the Nexus 4, then it definitely makes sense to try out some tips that can save you a lot of time. These tips can also be applied to any phone running the vanilla version of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. So without further ado, let’s start.

1. Share things instantly using Android Beam
The Nexus 4 comes with a NFC chip that enables users to instantly share data simply by holding their phone next to a compatible device. With NFC, you can share music, videos, photos, web pages or any other files. But before trying it out, ensure that from the Settings, you have enabled NFC. We’ve also written a detailed tutorial on how to use Android Beam.

2. Capture Screenshot
Sometimes, you might want to capture a screenshot of what’s currently on your screen, just to view it at a later date or to show it to someone. Well, you would definitely like to show your high score to your friends, wouldn’t you? That’s why, to capture screenshot on Nexus 4, press and hold down the Power and volume down buttons exactly at the same time. Hold it for a few seconds. After a few seconds, you will hear a camera shutter noise, and then you’ll see the screenshot minimized into the notification tray. From there, you can open or share the screenshot.

3. Use lock screen widgets
Lock screen widgets were introduced with Android 4.2. These widgets help you to directly do stuff, without even unlocking your device. For example; you can take photos, browse emails, view calendar, check messages and do more. Those users who have passcode or gesture will really benefit from this, as they wouldn’t need to follow the process to unlock the device, and thereby saving precious time.

Google Nexus 4: 10 Time Saving Tips

4. Talk to type
Well, this isn’t the first phone to come with speech-to-text technology, but it works great on Nexus 4. In fact, the accuracy is great and you don’t even need to be connected to internet to do this. To access this feature, simply tap on the microphone symbol from the bottom of your keyboard. You’ll now be able to see “Speak now.” Go ahead, talk to type!

5.Charge your Nexus 4 wirelessly
The Nexus 4 can be charged wirelessly, provided that you purchase its wireless charger from the Play Store. This charger sticks to the Nexus 4, and also provides easy visibility of your phone while charging. If you’re too lazy to charge your phone the traditional way, then this one’s for you. Ok, it might not be about laziness, but it’s about smartness, perhaps?

Google Nexus 4: 10 Time Saving Tips

6.Use Google Now
Google Now is Google’s answer to Apple’s Siri. To enable Google Now, simply swipe your finger from bottom to top. Once enabled, this app will track your movements and look for similar patterns. It will even ask you to mark the place for your work and for your home so that it can inform you about traffic conditions, estimated journey time and more. Yes, it’s smart and learns much itself without any manual interaction. It definitely is worth a try.

google-now

7. Access Quick Settings faster with this tip
When you drop the notifications pane from the top, you can see an option to open Quick Settings menu. But wait, there’s a smarter way to open this Quick Settings menu. Simply drag the notification pane down with two fingers and you’ll land straight to Quick Settings.

8. Use Gesture typing
Gesture based typing saves you a lot of time. This is similar to Swype keyboard, if you’ve used it in the past. Normally, you’ll tap on each letter to type, but with Gesture typing enabled (which is enabled by default), you just need to draw a line over the letters in sequence. To add a space, lift your finger from the screen. Try it out.

9. Sync your bookmarks with Google Chrome
The default browser of Android has been retired, and with Android 4.2, Chrome is made as the default browser. The best part is that Chrome is better than the default browser, and if you’re using Chrome on your computer, then you can sign-in with the same details and all your bookmarks will be made available on your Nexus 4.

10. Enable Auto-brightness
You can save some battery juice by enabling the auto-brightness option. This is useful especially if you’re in a dark room, and in such a room, you don’t need much brightness. That’s why, when you enable this option, your device will automatically determine the brightness level, and it thus saves battery.

Time saved is time earned, right? So go ahead, try out these handy tips on your Nexus 4 smartphone. Let us know which one is your favorite tip.

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