Hands-On Android (Audio)
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
H.O.A. 43: My Favorite Apps - Jason's Everyday Apps
17 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone has their list of favorite apps. Jason Howell took a look at his app drawer and pulled out some of the apps that he makes sure are installed...
H.O.A. 42: Gboard Tips and Tricks - Google Keyboard's Hidden Features That Make Typing Easier
10 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Typing on smartphones has never been a fun experience. Jason Howell knows that pain well. That's why he's collected some of his favorite type saving ...
H.O.A. 41: Create Your Own Photo Cloud Storage - How to Set Up Your Own Plex Server for Photos
03 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With the recent announcement that Google Photos is changing in 2021 to limit free uploads indefinitely, many smartphone users are now examining alter...
H.O.A. 40: Accessibility Features For Everyone - These Tricks Come in Handy on All Devices
19 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Android has come a long way in its pursuit of bringing meaningful accessibility features to those who truly need them. Jason Howell shows off how som...
H.O.A. 39: Own Your Cloud Music Locker - Takeout Your Google Play Music Library and Move It to Plexamp
12 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Takeout your Google Play Music library and move It to Plexamp. With the death of Google Play Music, many people are looking for the best alternati...
H.O.A. 38: Create a Home Automation Control Center - Take That Old Device and Give It a Job Using Action Blocks
05 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Take that old device and give it a job using Action Blocks. If you have a smart home and an old Android phone or tablet gathering dust, put it to ...
H.O.A. 37: Active Edge Your Pixel 5 - SideSqueeze+ Brings This Lost Feature Back
29 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A popular feature of Pixel phones has been Active Edge, a shortcut for Google Assistant that is triggered when the frame of the phone is squeezed fir...
H.O.A. 36: Samsung Good Lock (Part Two) - Galaxy Customization Continues on an Even Deeper Level
22 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Galaxy customization continues on an even deeper level. Samsung Good Lock is customization to deep that there's too much to fit into a single epis...
H.O.A. 35: Samsung Good Lock (Part One) - Deep Modular Customization of Samsung's Galaxy Phones
15 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Deep modular customization of Samsung's Galaxy phones. Samsung is known for offering expansive customization options to its Galaxy smartphones, bu...
H.O.A. 34: Install the New Google TV on Nvidia Shield TV - Almost Any Android TV Device Can Be Upgraded Too!
08 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Almost any Android TV device can be upgraded too! Google released the new Chromecast with Google TV at its Fall hardware event last week and its the...
H.O.A. 33: Galaxy Z Fold2 5G Tips and Tricks - Five Cool Things to Check Out on the Foldable Phone
01 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Five cool things to check out on the foldable phone. Samsung's latest foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Fold2, has a lot of impressive features that are ...
H.O.A. 32: Protect Yourself in an Emergency - How Android Can Ensure Your Personal Safety
24 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There are plenty of ways that Android protects your data and online security, but how can Android help you out in the real world? Jason Howell takes ...
H.O.A. 31: Android 11 Power Menu Customization - Make It Do Just About Anything You Want
17 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Of all the new features rolling out with Android 11, one of the most interesting changes comes in the form of a revised and feature rich power menu. ...
H.O.A. 30: Android 11 Review - Controlling the Conversation. Finally.
10 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The official release of Android 11 is here, and with it, Google is giving users plenty of control over their device, their smart home, their privacy,...
H.O.A. 29: Note 20 Ultra vs Pixel 4a Photo Walk - Two Different Camera Systems Go Head to Head
03 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Google Pixel 4a is a solid mid-range device with a proven camera that takes high quality shots easily. The Samsung Note 20 Ultra is about as prem...
H.O.A. 28: Note 20 Ultra S Pen - What Makes Scribbling on the Go So Powerful and Fun?
27 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The new Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is as premium as smartphones get and the thing that differentiates it most from its competition is the S Pen. Ja...
H.O.A. 27: How to Sideload APK Files - Installing Apps Outside of the Google Play Store
20 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Installing apps outside of the Google Play Store. The Google Play Store is good enough for most people when it comes to finding and installing app...
H.O.A. 26: Family Bell for Assistant - Effective Reminders for Distance Learning and Everything Else
13 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Effective reminders for distance learning and everything else. Sometimes, reminders need to be more than a gentle nudge. Google seems to have read J...
H.O.A. 25: Keep On Task With Reminders - How to Make Sure You Don't Miss a Thing
06 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In Jason Howell's household, the beginning of distance learning has created a toxic stew of calendar craziness. As such, here are a few different con...
H.O.A. 24: Screenshots and Screen Recordings - What To Do When Android Won't Let You
30 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Developers have many reasons for preventing Android users from taking screenshots or screen recordings of in-app content. Usually its for security bu...
H.O.A. 23: Root App Backup - How to Get A Comprehensive Backup of Your Device With Titanium Backup
23 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Google's cloud backup system is nice and easy, but it's not as comprehensive as the kind of backup that is possible with a rooted device. Jason Howel...
H.O.A. 22: Android Cloud Backup - Do This Before You Wipe Your Phone
16 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Before you go to wipe that phone and start fresh, you will want to be sure that Google is backing up all of the important pieces of your phone. Jason...
H.O.A. 21: Nearby Sharing Beta - Testing Android's Own AirDrop Solution
09 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Google has tried local P2P file sharing before, and it never really took off. Now, Google is conducting a limited beta test of an OS-level solution c...
H.O.A. 20: Low on Internal Storage? - Tips to Reclaim Space Using Adoptable Storage and File by Google
02 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A fan of the show wonders how to use the MicroSD card in his LG Stylo 5 as internal storage to alleviate shortage issues. Jason Howell explains Adopt...
H.O.A. 19: Stadia on Android TV - How to Make It Work on an Nvidia Shield TV
25 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Stadia, Google's game console in the cloud, is currently running on devices of all kinds but as of yet is not officially supported on Android TV devi...
H.O.A. 18: Android 11 Beta 1 - Best New Features Including Smart Home Controls and Smart App Icons
18 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Google finally pushed out the Android 11 Beta 1 release which means it feels this version of the new OS is ready for a wider range of users. It's sti...
H.O.A. 17: Android 10 Desktop Mode - This Hidden Feature Turns Your Device Into a Desktop Computer
11 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Turn a device into a desktop computer. Phones are becoming powerful enough to serve as desktop computing environments, given the right combination...
H.O.A. 16: Lock Down Your Smartphone - Encryption, Biometrics, and Lockdown Mode
04 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Lock down your smartphone. Our phones carry the content of our lives. As smartphone users, it's important to understand how the security features ...
H.O.A. 15: Advanced Assistant - Do More With Your Phone With Automation, Data Protection, and More
28 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Assistant was designed to make the smartphone easier to use through voice commands that reach into nearly every aspect of the device. But now, it's c...
H.O.A. 14: Inside Chrome for Android - Tips and Tricks Using Chrome's Hidden Features
21 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's easy to take the Chrome browser for Android for granted when we use it so frequently. Jason Howell shows off some features that are hiding in pl...
H.O.A. 13: Android 11 Features on Your Phone Now - Apps to Fill the Gaps Until Android 11 Drops
14 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Apps fill the gaps until Android 11. Android 11 is still months away, but we already know about many features of the upcoming release. Jason Howel...
H.O.A. 12: OnePlus 8 Pro Tips and Tricks: Inside OxygenOS - OxygenOS Has Some Awesome Features
07 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
OxygenOS has some awesome features. OnePlus's Android skin, OxygenOS, is close enough to stock to make Android purists happy while also including ...
H.O.A. 11: Developer Options for Everyday Users - Hidden Settings With Geeky Powers
30 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hidden settings with geeky powers. Android is hiding a handy settings menu from view by default. It's intended for developers, but Jason Howell wi...
H.O.A. 10: How to Uninstall Bloatware - Removing Uninstallable Apps From the Phone
23 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Removing Uninstallable Apps From the Phone Sometimes, smartphones have apps installed that simply have no business being on the device, yet there'...
H.O.A. 9: Turn a Tablet Into a Second Display - Second Screen a Device With Duet
16 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Second Screen a Device With Duet If you have an old tablet lying around gathering dust, perhaps you might benefit from turning it into a second di...
H.O.A. 8: Free Entertainment For the Lockdown - How Library Cards Open Up Free Content
09 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jason Howell shows off a number of ways to find free music, movies, e-books, audiobooks, comics, and games on Android with nothing more than a librar...
H.O.A. 7: Samsung Galaxy S20 Tips and Tricks - Setting Up a New Galaxy S20 Device
02 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Samsung includes a number of bells and whistles with their Galaxy series of phones. Setting one up from scratch involves a number of tweaks to refine...
H.O.A. 6: Hands-on Android 11 Developer Preview 2 - Redesigned Wallpaper Picker, Notification History
26 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The second developer preview was released on schedule and there are a number of tweaks to some of the new features of the previous version. More pol...
H.O.A. 5: How to Connect Game Controllers to Android - PS4, Switch, and Xbox One gamepads on Android
19 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Some games for Android support hardware gamepads, like the ones that ship with the most current consoles on the market. Jason walks through how to ge...
H.O.A. 4: Google vs. Samsung: Find My Phone - Google's Find My Phone, Samsung's Find My Device
12 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Misplacing your device is no walk in the park. Thankfully, both Google and Samsung offer robust ways to track your lost device and even remotely mana...
H.O.A. 3: Understanding Android's Permissions - Permissions controls, Location sharing
05 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Having control over the sensitive data on your smartphone means understanding the sometimes complicated Permissions architecture of the Android OS. J...
H.O.A. 2: Hands-on Android 11 Developer Preview - Android 11 Developer Preview 1 is out!
27 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Google jumped the gun and released the very first version of Android 11 Developer Preview 1 a month earlier than previous versions. Jason shows off t...
H.O.A. 1: Demystifying Digital Wellbeing - How can you curb your smartphone usage? Jason explains.
20 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We love our smartphones. Maybe we love them a little too much sometimes. Jason shows how he has used Digital Wellbeing to be less reactive to smartph...
Welcome to Hands-On Android
13 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Subscribe so you don't miss Hands-On Android, a weekly show hosted by Jason Howell that will supercharge your Android mojo with tips, tricks, explain...