Showing posts with label Widget. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Widget. Show all posts

Samsung Galaxy S5: How to Install, Configure and Use Kids Mode in Android 4.4.2 Kitkat

If you're like me, then surely your kids ever borrow your phone and play with it. But, in some cases, the kids' curiosity sometimes make them accessing a thing that you don't want to be accessed by them. Luckily, Samsung Galaxy S5 provides the users with a widget called Kids mode that you can find in the Home screen. Kids mode allows you to restrict children's access to certain apps or contents stored in your phone so that you can provide your kids a fun and safe environment while using your phone. Since this widget is not installed by default, then you have to download it first and then install it in your phone manually. Once done, you can configure kids mode according to your need.


How to install Kids mode?
Before using this widget in your phone, you have to download and install it first by using the following steps:
  1. Find the Kids mode widgets icon in the Home screen, and then tap it.
  2. Tap OK button in the Install application screen.
  3. Tap Install button. Your phone will download the widget and then install it.
  4. Once installation is completed, you'll be asked to set your PIN. You can do so by tapping Set PIN button.
  5. Enter your PIN twice.
  6. Enter your alternative password (it'll be used if you forget your PIN) and then tap Continue button
  7. Re-enter your alternative password and then tap OK button
  8. In the Kid's profile screen, you can create a kid profile:
    • If necessary, you can change the photo profile by tapping the picture box and then select the picture source (Select image to select picture from Gallery app, Take picture to take picture using the phone camera and then use the result as the photo profile or Select clip art to select picture from clip art) and then select the required picture.
    • Enter your kid name.
    • Tap the Date of birth field and then adjust to the required date and then tap Set button.
    • Tap Next button.
  9. Tap Accept button in the Disclaimer screen.
  10. In the Add applications screen, select apps you're allowed by checking the box in the left side of the desired apps and then tap Next button.
  11. Tap Finish button.
  12. Now, the Kids mode has been installed in your phone.


How to configure Kids mode?
Once the installation and first configuration are completed, now you can configure Kids mode by using the following steps:
  1. Tap Kids mode icon in Home screen or in the Apps menu.
  2. Tap to enter the parental control screen.
  3. Enter your PIN.
  4. Tap to view all kids parental control menu.
  5. Change the kid's profile:
    • Tap the kid's profile name.
    • Tap to edit the profile. Here you can change the photo profile, name and date of birth.
    • Tap Save button.
  6. See the kid's activities:
    • Tap Activity.
    • Tap Last 7 days tab to see total playtime and most frequently used apps in the last 7 days.
    • Tap Last 30 days tab to see total playtime and most frequently used apps in the last 30 days.
  7. Change the daily playtime limit:
    • Tap Daily playtime limit.
    • Slide the ON/OFF switch located at the top right corner of the screen to the right to enable this option.
    • Tap the Circle time icon in the middle of the screen to adjust the limit.
    • Here you can increase or decrease the daily playtime. The maximum daily playtime is 180 minutes or 3 hours.
    • Tap Set button.
  8. Allow or restrict apps:
    • Tap Applications. Here you'll see all allowed apps.
    • Tap and then select the required apps you want to add to the allowed apps list.
    • Tap and then select the required apps you want to remove from the allowed apps list.
  9. Allow or restrict contents:
    • Tap Media.
    • Tap and then select media (picture and video) you want to add to the allowed media list.
    • Tap and then select the required media you want to remove from the allowed media list.
  10. Adjust the Kids mode settings:
    • Tap General.
    • If necessary, you can enable 3D tilting effect on the Kids mode home screen by checking the box next to 3D tilting effect.
    • If necessary, you can disable the Back key in Kids mode by checking the box next to Block key.
    • If required, you can change your PIN by tapping Change parental PIN. You'll be asked to enter your current PIN and then enter your alternative password twice.
    • If required, tap Reset and then enter your PIN to revert back the settings to the default.
  11. Install kid's apps to the Kids mode Home screen:
    • Tap Kids store.
    • Tap OK button in the Disclaimer screen.
    • Now you can see kid's apps grouped into some categories (Special, For kids, Learning, Play, Story and Other). As a note, you should have a Samsung account in your phone to be able installing apps from the kids store. If you have not added a Samsung account, you'll be asked to either sign up a new Samsung account or sign in with your existing Samsung account.
    • Select the desired apps you want to install. I'll write further more about it in another post.
    • The newly installed app will be added to the allowed apps list automatically


How to use Kids mode home screen?
Once you configure the settings of the Kids mode, now your kid can use your phone to play safely. Here are the complete steps to use kids mode:
  1. Tap Kids mode icon in Home screen or in the Apps menu.
  2. The Kids mode home screen is now enable. Here you can see some default apps (Kids Gallery, Kids Camera, Kids Drawing, Kids Voice Recorder and Kids Media) and additional apps that you have installed before from the Kids store. 
  3. Now, your kid can play all allowed apps and contents in Kids mode safely.
  4. As a note, unless you exit from this mode, this mode will remain active even when the screen is locked. And, when the daily playtime limit is over, the Kids mode will be locked and can't be used unless you extend the limit.
  5. To exit or disable Kids mode, tap and then enter your PIN.

Please note that while Kids mode home screen is being used, all notifications sound will be turned off and the notifications panel can't be accessed. Well, given to the feature and how this mode works, now you can lend your phone to be played by your kid in peace without worrying they will access or use unwanted apps or contents.

Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Use It as a Flashlight in Android 4.4 Kitkat

I believe that most of you ever hear or know that some phones can act as a flashlight or torch light. In some conditions, this ability will be so helpful for instance when you want to search something in the dark or when you need a portable light for any purpose. Actually, Samsung Galaxy SIV has no default option to let you set the phone as the torch light, but you still can do so by using the assistive light widget. This widget will allow you to instantly turn on or off the camera flashlight with a single tap. It'll be easier than you have to open the Camera app and then turn on the flashlight from there.


How to add the assistive light widget to the Home screen?
Before using the phone as the torch light, you have to add the assistive light widget to the Home screen by using the following steps:
  1. Long tap on any free space in Home screen.
  2. On pop up menu select Apps and widgets.
  3. Tap Widgets tab.
  4. Swipe the screen to the right or to the left until you find Assistive Light 1x1 widget.
  5. Tap and hold the widget to move it to the Home screen.
  6. Release the widget to place it in the Home screen.

How to use the phone as a torch light?
If the assistive light widget has been added to the Home screen, then now you're ready to use the phone as a flashlight by using the following steps:
  1. Turning on the flashlight
    Tap the assistive light widget icon in the Home screen to turn on the camera flashlight. When the flashlight is on, the assistive light icon in Home screen will turn green and the white light icon will be displayed on the status bar.
  2. Turning off the flashlight
    Method #1: Through the Home screen
    • Tap the assistive light widget icon in Home screen to turn off the camera flashlight. The assistive light icon in Home screen will turn grey and the white light icon on the status bar will disappear as a sign that the flashlight is turned off.
    Method #2: Through the notification panel
    • When the screen is unlocked or locked, swipe down the top of the screen to open up the notification panel
    • Tap the assistive light notification to turn off the camera flashlight. The assistive light widget icon in Home screen will turn grey and the white light icon on the status bar will disappear as a sign that the flashlight is turned off.

FYI, since the widget can't be customized and can't be turned on or off automatically, therefore the flashlight will stay on even when the screen is off unless you turn it off manually through the Home screen or the notification panel.

Samsung Galaxy S3: How to Add Shortcut Per Email Account on Home Screen

One of the ability owned by the Samsung Galaxy SIII is handling multiple email accounts, or in other words you can add several email accounts in this phone. You can also set one of them as the default email account that will be use by default to write an email.

See also: How to Set Added Email Account as Default on Samsung Galaxy S3

As with the apps and widget, you can also create the shortcut for each your email account to the Home screen to make you more faster and easier when you want to access them. You can do this by utilizing email account widget.


How to create shortcut for each email account on Home screen?
Before you do this steps, make sure you have space enough on your Home screen that you'll use to add the widget. Well, here are the complete steps to do:
  1. Long tap on your Home screen.
  2. On pop up menu select Add to Home screen.
  3. Tap Widget tab.
  4. Find Email account 1x1 widget by swiping the screen to the left or to the right, then tap and hold to move it to the Home screen.
  5. Now you'll see a list of your email accounts.
  6. Tap the required email account you wish to add the shortcut.
  7. Finish. the shortcut to an email account has been added to the Home screen.
  8. To add more shortcut for another email account, you can repeat from the step #1.

It's easy, right? Adding shortcuts for each email account will of course be able to facilitate you accessing them directly through the Home screen. Also it will save you more time because now you just need to tap the required email account shortcut on Home screen when you want to access them. So, hope this helps :)