Samsung Galaxy S3: How to Scan QR Code

According to Wikipedia, QR Code or Quick Response Code is the trademarks of matrix barcode or two dimensional barcode first designed for the automotive industry in Japan. Nowadays, you can find the QR code not only in the automotive industry but also on another things, such as TV advertisement, business card, website, tickets, etc.

The QR code can easily readable by the smartphone, including with the Samsung Galaxy SIII. All you need to make it works is by downloading QR Code scanning app then use it to scan the code and retrieve data stored inside them.


How to scan QR Code using Google Googles apps?
There are lot of apps that allow you to scan QR code, but given from the apps reviews seem this apps is work well with lot of users. So, here are the steps:

1. Download install Google Googles apps from the Play Store.
2. Once the installation is completed, open the Google Googles apps.
3. Point the phone's camera at the QR Code, wait for seconds, then you'll see the data--such as, URL links, text or location-- stored inside the code displayed at the bottom of the screen. For instance, you can try to scan QR code shown in this post then you'll see a URL to the inside-galaxy which you can visit by tapping it.

By knowing this step, now you can easily retrieve the data stored inside the code by using your phone. And of course, you can also save more time when you want to visit this blog by scanning QR code embedded in this post. Hope this helps :)

Samsung Galaxy S3: How to Unlock the Phone for Free in 2 Easy Ways

If your Samsung Galaxy SIII is locked and you want to unlock it for certain reason, said that you want to go abroad and want to put the local SIM card to get their services, then you can do this easily by using two methods available as listed below. Both of these methods is easy to do, no need to pay and no root required.


Method 1: Ask your carrier to unlock the phone
The first method that you can do to unlock your phone is by asking the unlock code from your provider. Here are the complete steps to do:

1. Reach the provider through the calls or emails to ask them to unlock your phone. You can give them the explanation of what the reason that force you to unlock the phone, for instance you need to unlock the phone because you want to go to abroad, etc. FYI, some of carriers may refuse to unlock the phone until the contract is over, or you have to use their services for certain time period. If you managed to get the code then go to the next step, while if your carrier doesn't provide you the code then try to use the next methods.
2. Turn the phone off, remove your old SIM card and insert with the new one.
3. Turn on the phone.
4. You'll see an 'Enter the unlock code' screen. Enter the unlock code here. Once you've finished, now you can use the phone with the service from the new provider.

Method 2: Unlock the phone from the Service Menu
If your carrier refuse to provide you the code, then you still be able to unlock the phone by following the easy steps as listed below:

1. To make it works, make sure your Samsung Galaxy SIII is already with the Android 4.1 or above. You can check the software version through About device under the Settings menu.
   See also:How to Check Software Information on Samsung Galaxy S3 
2. Open the Phone app, then enter *#197328640# to get the Service menu.
3. In the ServiceMode menu, select the [1] UMTS.
4. Open the Debug menu by selecting [1] DEBUG SCREEN, then select [8] PHONE CONTROL.
5.  In Phone Control menu, select [6] NETWORK LOCK.
6. Next, select [3] Perso SHA256 Off. Wait for about 30 seconds then tap the Menu key and select Back.
7. Select [4] NW Lock NV Data INITIALLIZ. Wait for about 1 minute then reboot your phone.
8. Insert the new SIM card to the phone. If the code you've entered is correct, then you should not see the Enter the unlock code screen.
9. Now you can enjoy your new SIM card and all services available in it.

Well, these are two methods that you can use to unlock your Samsung Galaxy SIII for free. However, if you have your own methods to do so, then I'll really appreciate if you willing to share them through the comment below :)

Samsung Galaxy S3: How to Use Camera Best Face Mode

Upgrading your Samsung Galaxy SIII to the Android Jelly Bean will bring some features inside the phone, including with the Camera apps which also get some new shot mode. One of which is low light mode which will allow you to get a better picture while you use the camera to take a picture in low-light condition.

See also: How to Use Camera Low Light Mode on Samsung Galaxy S3

In addition with the low light shot mode, you can also find other shot mode available there named best face. Previously, you may ever seen this feature in the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. This mode will allow you to swap the individual face in the picture taken by the camera with that particular person's different individual expressions to get the best face as you want.


How to use best face mode?
To do so kindly follow the steps listed below:

1. Open the Camera apps.
2. Tap the Settings icon.
3. Tap the Shooting mode, then select Best Face.
4. Take a group photos.
5. The camera will take 5 consecutive pictures and will let you to choose the best face for each person in the picture.
6. Once you've finished, tap Save button to save the result.

This mode will give you better result for group photos because this mode will allow you to get best face for each person of those shots by swapping the desired face of those shots with that particular person's different individual expressions. So, hope this helps :)

Samsung Galaxy S3: How to Use Easy Snap Feature

Talk back mode is one of the feature available on Samsung Galaxy SIII, either with the Android Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean. Enabling this feature will make the phone provide the spoken feedback for whatever the user do. But, you should remember while in this mode, you need to use double tap instead a single tap to make selection and use two fingers instead one finger to swipe or to scroll.

See also: How to Enable Talk Back in Samsung Galaxy S3

Well, for those of you who now already use Android Jelly Bean inside the phone, then you can combine the talk back mode with the face detection in Camera apps to make easy snap. Combining both of them will make the phone able to tell you how many faces detected by the camera while in preview screen and focuses on them.


How to use easy snap?
To make it works, make sure you have enabled talk back mode as you can see in the link above. Next, you just need to follow the steps listed below:

1. Double tap the Apps icon on the Home screen.
2. Double tap Camera.
3. Double tap the Settings icon.
4. Double tap Shooting mode, then double tap Face detection.
5. Point the camera to the object. The camera will detect any human face and focuses on it, also the phone will tell you how many faces can be detected by the camera.
6. Now you're ready to take a picture using the easy snap feature.

The easy snap will be able to help you to get better picture when you use it for portrait or group photos, because the camera will be able to focus in any human faces detected by the camera. So, hope this helps :)

Samsung Galaxy S3: How to Set and Clear Default on Certain Apps

Once upon the time, one of this blog's visitor named Kelly was send me an email. She ask me how to bring back the "Complete action using" menu because she was accidentally made a wrong selection when her Samsung Galaxy SIII prompt her to choose between the stock Internet browser and Mozilla Firefox browser when opening a URL of website.

See also: How to Use Browser App on Samsung Galaxy S3


How to set apps as default for certain action?
For those of you who don't know how to set certain app as the default to perform specific action, here I show how to do so. According to the Kelly's problem, we'll try to set the stock Internet browser as default when the phone open the URL of a website:

1. Open the URL of a website in any app, for example if you already receive a text message with a URL inside, then open the Messaging app and open the required text message contains with URL.
2. Tap the URL.
3. You should see "Complete action using" option menu appears (on Kelly's mail, she said that she has two option available, Internet Browser and Mozilla Firefox Browser). The option appears may vary depending on the apps installed on the phone.
4. Tick the checkbox next to the "Use by default for this action" option.
5. Tap the Internet Browser.
6. The URL will be loaded in the Internet Browser app for now and so.

How to clear default on certain apps?
In certain case, you may ever made a wrong selection, as happen in Kelly's problem. Well, to fix this problem kindly follow the steps listed below:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Scroll down to Application manager, then tap it.
3. Swipe to the All screen.
4. In this case, tap the Internet Browser app.
5. Tap Clear defaults button.
6. Now you should see the "Complete action using" menu whenever opening the URL link.

Well, these two methods also can be applied in another applications. For instance if you want to get rid the annoying "Complete action using" menu or want to set the Gallery apps as the default when opening the image, then you can use the step to set certain apps as the default as mentioned above. While if you have made a wrong selection or want to bring back the same prompt to make a correct selection, then you can use the step to clear default as mentioned above. So, hope this helps :)

Samsung Galaxy S3: How to Fix Couldn't Sign In Error in Gmail Applications

Gmail app is one of the stock apps available inside Samsung Galaxy SIII that you can use to send or receive email messages. The username and password of the Gmail account also can be use to login and using another Google services, such as Google Play Store, Youtube, etc.

See also: How to Send Email Messages Using Gmail Apps on Samsung Galaxy S3

However, in certain condition you may have to open the same Gmail account on the web and change the password. Other times, you may noticed that your phone give you a notification of sign-in error when the Gmail account try to sync in the background resulting you can't login and using your Gmail account in Gmail app.


How to solve sign-in error on Gmail apps?
There are two ways available to fix the problem as listed below.
I. From the notification bar
After you've change the Gmail password on the web, when the Gmail app in the phone try to sync then you should see a exclamation sign in the notification bar. If so, do as follows:

1. Pull down the notification bar.
2. Tap the sign-in error message.
3. Now you should see a Re-type password screen which will allow you to enter your new Gmail password.
4. If the password you have entered is correct, then you should be able to login to your Gmail account.

II. From the Gmail app
If you encountering this error but don't see a sign-in error message in notification bar or you may have accidentally cleared them, then you can fix this problem through the Gmail app by following the steps listed below:

1. Go to Apps through the Home screen.
2. Tap Gmail.
3. Tap Sync button.
4. Now you should see Couldn't sign in error message appears with the SIGN-IN link.
5. Tap the SIGN-IN link.
6. Now you should see a screen which will allow you to enter your new Gmail password.
7. If the password you've entered is correct, then you should be able to login and use your Gmail account in your phone.

Well, these are two possible ways that you can do to fix the sign-in error message on your Gmail apps due to password changes. So, hope this helps :)

Samsung Galaxy S3: Five Easy Ways to Install Applications

Samsung Galaxy SIII has come with some useful pre-loaded applications--you can said Messaging apps, Phone apps, Contacts apps, etc-- that you can use directly without having to install them first. But, as with other Android phone, the Samsung Galaxy SIII also allow you to install another apps, either from its official market or non-official sources.

1. Google Play Store App
This is the official market for all Android phone and you'll find this apps as one of the stock apps inside your phone. Here you can download and install either free or paid apps. To make you be able to access the Google Play Store and another Google services, make sure you have activated your Google account on your phone.
See also: How to Access Google Play Store

2. Samsung Store App
This is the second official market for Samsung phone and you'll also find this apps as one of the stock apps inside your phone. As same as the Play Store apps, this apps also provide you with a free or paid apps. Create your own Samsung account to allow you accessing Samsung Store app and another Samsung services.
See also: How to Download and Install Apps on Samsung App Store

3. Google Play Store Website
You may noticed that this way is similar with the first ways I've mentioned above. Yes, thanks to Google cloud-based system which will allow you to install apps remotely to your Android phone from Google Play Store website through your Computer or Laptop. This way of course will extend your convenient of searching and browsing the apps in the Play Store. All you need is login into the Google Play Store website using a Google account associated with your phone.
See also: How to Install Apps Remotely through Play Store Website

4. Sideloading Apps directly through the Phone
Aside from installing apps from the official market, you can also install apps from another sources, or users usually refer it as install .apk file. Apk is android packaging file or it's the same with .exe file in the Windows Operating System. This of course will useful if the apps you want to install is no longer available on the Play Store or Samsung Store, such as Adobe Flash Player. However, by default this option is disabled for security reasons. If you want to enable sideloading apps, you need to enable Unknown sources option that you can find under security settings. Once you've enabled this option, you can download a .apk file through your phone's browser apps then open it through the Download app to start installing. You can also download .apk file from your PC or laptop then copy the file to your phone and open it with the My Files app to start installing. This way also allow you to install from another third-party apps store, such as Amazon App Store, Humble Bundle Apps, and else.
See also: How to Install .apk Files

5. Sideloading apps from PC
This way will allow you to install .apk file from the computer, with or without connecting your phone to the computer. AFAIK, the available option to do this way is by using ADB or use AirDroid app--tell me if you know the other ones--. If you use the ADB, you need to connect your phone to the computer by using USB cable and enable USB Debugging option on your phone. While if you use AirDroid app, you need to connect your phone and computer in the same network.
See also: How to Install Apps using AirDroid App


Well, these are 5 methods that you can do to install the desired apps into your precious Samsung Galaxy SIII. However, if you have another way to install apps and it's not listed here, then I'll really appreciate if you willing to share them through the comment below :)