How to Safely Remove USB OTG from Android Device

This article will show you how to safely remove USB OTG from Android devices. When using OTG it is necessary to unmount the USB device properly before physically disconnecting it. If you have an Android phone (nougat, marshmallow or lollipop) with OTG support, you definitely want to know this tip, so read on.

What is OTG? OTG stands for 'USB On The Go'. This is one of the newest and most useful features of Android. It allows you to connect any USB device such as flash drives, memory cards, keyboard, mouse etc. to your Android phone via the micro USB port.

USB OTG is an extension of USB 2.0 that allows devices like Android to serve as a host and let USB devices communicate with each other without being connected to a PC.

When your android device has OTG, you do not need PCs to transfer files to and fro from the device. By using the OTG cable, you can connect the pen drive or SD Card directly to the phone and access the storage contents.

Safely Remove OTG from Android:

It is well known that any portable USB device should be safely removed before it is physically detached. Simply removing it will result in data loss or unexpected behavior. You must first unmount the USB storage on Android before removing the OTG cable from the smartphone.

To safely remove USB storage device from Android, follow these steps:

1. Open Android 'Settings' and go to 'Storage'.

2. On the next screen, tap the 'Unmount USB Storage' option.

3. You will be asked for confirmation. Press 'OK' button to confirm unmounting of the USB storage.

4. This will properly unmount USB storage on Android. You can then remove the OTG cable from your smartphone safely.

OTG is a nice feature but you must handle it with proper care when using. Removing USB OTG safely from Android is fairly easy and only takes a few seconds.

Always remember to unmount the USB storage devices from your Android phone first before removing the OTG cable. This saves you from data corruption. I hope you like this post. If you find this tip useful, please don't forget to share it on social networks.

• Read: Fix Invalid IMEI Error in MTK Android Phone
• Read: How to Automatically Shutdown Android Device

Automatically Shutdown Android Phone/Tablet

Do you want to automatically shutdown android phone or tablet? And yet not sure if it is possible or not? Well! It is completely doable, but only works on a rooted android device. Here we will see how to shutdown android mobile automatically at specific time using android app. There are a lot of auto shutdown apps available for Android, but only a few of them are up to the task. Below I have shared two such android apps that help you to shut down android automatically.

Remember that the app method is only applicable to rooted android devices and for good reason.

Shutdown Android Automatically using Apps

The first App is Automateit and is not just a simple auto shut downer. The android app is feature rich and allows you to automate various tasks on your Android phone or tablet.

All you have to do is to set up rules consisting 'Trigger-Action' and make your Smartphone behave as you want.

Using Automateit App to Auto Shutdown Android:

1. From your Android phone, go to the Google Play Store, download and install the Automateit app.

2. Once installed, start the application. You must now set up a new rule to shut down android mobile automatically at a certain time.

3. For that, tap on 'Add Rule' option. It will open a screen to add new rule and contains several types of triggers for you to set.

4. Go to 'Common' section and choose 'Time Trigger'. You will see a timer on the screen. Set the time you want the phone to shutdown automatically. There will also be an option to repeat the trigger every day or on specific days of the week.

5. The 'Every Day' option is checked by default. You must remove the tick mark to see other available options.

6. Once the timer is set, press 'Next' and it will take you to the 'Action' screen.

7. From there, go to 'System' and select the 'Shutdown Device Action' option.

8. On the next screen provide a name for this rule and select 'Save' in the upper right corner of the screen.

Done! From now on your phone will turn off when it gets to the specified time. If you wish, you can also set up multiple shutdown rules using the app. But remember that the app will only shutdown your phone, but it is up to you to boot it when necessary.

In case you want to disable the automatic shutdown process, go to 'My Rules' and choose the name of the rule. Press the 'ON' button to deactivate the rule. It is a toggle switch, so you have to simply tap it again to enable the rule.

To permanently delete the rule, select 'Delete Rule'. And to change shutdown time or something else, choose 'Edit Rule', change and save it.

2. Shutdown Timer

If you need a basic auto scheduler that is simple to use, then 'Shutdown Timer' is for you. The app is useful to shutdown, restart or switch into flight mode at specific time. Keep in mind that this application requires root access.

1. To set up automatic shutdown from your Android phone, visit play store, download and install Shutdown Timer application.

2. Once installed, open the app. For the first time the app will display a warning, so you must click 'Allow' for the app to work.

3. You will now see a timer screen where you will need to set the time and date for auto shutdown.

4. Once configured, go to the bottom, click 'Action' tab and set it to shutdown device.

5. Finally, select 'Schedule' button to set automatic shutdown timer.

That's it! Your Android mobile will shutdown at the scheduled time and date automatically.

With both of the above apps, you can make your android device to shutdown automatically. The apps require root access and the reason behind this makes sense, as it is dangerous to give external apps the power to shutdown your device automatically. So if you are desperate, root your android and use this feature.

Fix Invalid IMEI Error in Android Phone (MTK)

Do you know how to fix invalid imei error in android? If you don't, here is the solution for imei error. After factory reset, Android upgrade or custom ROM installation may sometimes result in an invalid IMEI error. The error occurs mostly on Mediatek Android devices and raises network issues. It makes your Phone's Sim unrecognizable and prevents you from making and receiving calls.

Fortunately invalid IMEI is a common problem and has some quick fix. But before going into the solutions, here's a little background about IMEI for complete beginners.

What is the IMEI Number?

IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity. It consists of a unique fifteen-digit number and is used to identify GSM Phones. So is Sim number not enough? Why the need for IMEI? Generally Sim no. is associated with individuals and can be exchanged from phone to phone. But that's not the case with the IMEI number. It is exclusive to a particular handset and cannot be inter-changed between devices. Therefore, it is useful to track the device from anywhere.

How to Fix Invalid IMEI Error in Android?

Below I have shared two different methods by which you can solve invalid imei problem in android devices.

Method-1) Reset IMEI Number

In the first method you have to reset the imei number to the handset.

What you'll need?

• Rooted Android Phone
• Your Phone's IMEI Number
• Mobileuncle Tools (or) MTK Engineering Mode App

First make sure that your Android phone is rooted otherwise the method will not work.

To try this method you must know the IMEI number of your device. Generally dialing '*#06#' from the phone will display the IMEI number of the handset. But in our case it will not work and you'll get an invalid error.

But don't worry! You have other ways to find out the phone's IMEI.

If you are lucky enough to have the handset's retail box you can find the IMEI printed on it. If your phone comes with a removable battery, then open the device, remove the battery and find a label that contains the phone's IMEI numbers.

Once you have the IMEI number, write it down on paper.

1. Now download and install Mobileuncle Tools App on your Android phone.

2. Then open the App and tap on 'Engineer Mode' option on the screen.

3. On the Engineer Mode screen, tap the 'Engineering Mode (MTK)' option.

4. Next swith over to 'Connectivity' and tap on 'CDS Information' at the bottom and tap again on 'Radio Information'.

5. If your phone is dual-sim, you will see 'Phone 1' & 'Phone 2' which represents 'Sim 1' and 'Sim 2' respectively.

6. Select 'Phone 1' and you'll see 'AT+' in a textbox. Now enter EGMR=1,7,"YOUR_IMEI_NUMBER" next to it. Make sure your full command looks like AT+EGMR=1,7,"YOUR_IMEI_NUMBER" and tap 'Send AT Command' button. You will get a pop-up window that shows 'AT Command Sent'.

7. You must repeat the process for 'Sim 2' as well. For that select 'Phone 2' and type AT+EGMR=1,10,"YOUR_IMEI_NUMBER" and press 'Send AT Command'. Make sure to use the second IMEI number for Sim 2.

8. When finished, reboot the phone.

Congratulations! You have successfully fixed the invalid IMEI error on Android.

If you face problem sending 'AT Command', try a space between 'AT' and '+' like this, AT<space>+EGMR=1,7,"YOUR_IMEI_NUMBER" and both methods work for me.

Method-2) Restore IMEI Backup

With the second method you can simply restore the IMEI number on handset and you are good to go.

What you'll need?

• Rooted Android Smartphone
• IMEI Number Backup
• Mobileuncle Tools

1. Download and install Mobileuncle Tools App on your Android mobile. Once installed, launch the application and tap on 'IMEI Backup Restore (MTK)' option.

2. You will now see four options on the screen. The first two are meant for taking IMEI backup and the next two for restoring IMEI on the phone.

3. If you have an IMEI backup file in the internal storage, choose the 'Restore IMEI from SDCARD(MTK)' option. If you have stored the backup in the external storage (SD Card), select the last option 'Restore IMEI from SDCARD2(MTK)'.

This will restore the IMEI number on the phone. Just make sure you have the backup in the root folder of the storage.

Reboot your phone and dial *#06# from your device. You will receive the IMEI number if the error was solved.

I hope now you have a better understanding of fixing invalid imei error on android. Note that the above methods will only work for mediatek devices. Also, Mobileuncle Tools is not available in the Play Store so you have to get it elsewhere. You can also use the MTK Engineering Mode application as an alternative. If you find this post useful, don't forget to share it in social media.

Convert EXE To APK File on Android Convertor

This post shows you How to Convert Exe to Apk File using Android Convertor Tool. Do you know you can use Windows apps on Android Mobiles? Yep! You can now - just by converting windows exe file to android apk file.

To make it clear, Windows Platform supports only EXE files (executable file) and Android OS can only run APK (Android Application Package) files. That is, files with '.apk' extension. You can't run exe file on Android and apk file on Windows directly - at least not without special Software.

With the help of Android Emulators you can easily run Android Games & Apps on Windows Operating System. Bluestack is one such popular Android Emulator for Windows. You have to just install the software on Windows PC or Laptop and start playing Android games on it.

Similarly if you want to use Windows Apps, Tools and Games on Android devices, you can - by easily converting Windows EXE files to Apk files with the help of exe to apk convertor tools.

So here let's see how to convert Windows Exe to Android Apk files.

• Read: How to Get Help with File Explorer in Windows 10 OS
• Read: Create Gmail Account without Phone Number Verification
• Read: Reliance Jio 4G APN Settings for Android & iPhone

How to Convert EXE To APK File?

Here goes the process for exe to apk conversion. Actually it is pretty simple. Thing's you'll need for this process is,

• Software named Change My Software
• Any Windows EXE File to convert

Before hand, visit here and download the software to your PC/Laptop. When you finished downloading follow the below instructions to convert exe to apk.

1. Launch EXE to APK Converter Tool and select 'I have a portable application' option, then click 'Next'.

2. Then choose the exe file you need to convert. Depending on the file size the loading process will take some time.
3. Once loaded, click on the Convert button. The conversion will take a while so keep your patience.
4. When it is completed you will be notified about successful conversion.
5. That's it! Now you have converted windows exe to apk app. Now you can install this apk file on Android device and enjoy Windows apps on Android.

The entire process is just a breeze. All you need is 'Change My Software' tool to convert exe to apk file and the best thing is the software is free. You can just convert any Windows games & applications in this way and enjoy it on Android Mobile without trouble.

Top 8 Best Battery Saver Apps for Android 2016

Top 8 Best Battery Saver Apps for Android 2016: Owning a feature-rich android Smartphone is not a big deal these days but ever draining battery is. People are used to surf internet, stream videos, watch movies, play high-end games and hundred-and-one other stuffs with a Smartphone. Though smartphones are very handy for such things, they take a toll on the phone's battery backup. So, how to extend the battery life of android smartphone?

Proper battery optimization will subsequently improve the battery backup. Do you know how many unwanted apps sneak them to run at the background without your knowledge? These apps not only eat up your precious data but drains battery drastically. To get you out of this mess so many developers have created battery saver apps for android that optimizes and considerably extend the phone's battery backup.

To guide you in choosing the best android battery saver app, here is the list of top 8 best battery saver apps for android phones.

Top 5 Best Video Players for Android Phones 2016

Here is the list of Top 5 Best Video Players for Android Phones 2016. Gone are the days when we used mobile phones just for communication. Smartphones have changed the way we use phones and entertainment has taken front seat on Smartphone experience. This little magic device is all what you need for communication, connectivity, internet surfing, playing games, streaming videos or watching movies.

Android Smartphones are coming with high-end hardware configuration these days and even a budget-segment smartphone supports Full HD Videos. All you want is a suitable software to watch movies and videos without trouble. There are several video players apps available for android and if you don't know what is the best video player then read through our list of Top 5 Best Video Players for Android Mobile Operating System.

Top 5 Best Video Players for Android Phones

Below is the list of top 5 best video players for android os which let you watch movies and stream videos easily.

1. VLC For Android (Free)

VLC Media Player from VideoLAN has been a popular media player among desktop users and the company has released the player for android os known as VLC For Android. This open source player is completely free and supports all types of multi-media file formats. This is a best video player for anyone who likes VLC Desktop.

Key Features

• Simple and Clutter-Free User Interface
• No additional codec installation required
• Doubles as both video & audio player for android mobiles
• Supports almost all types of video and audio formats

2. MX Player (Free & Premium)

MX Player is another one best video player for android and one of my all time favorite. This comes as a free and premium version. Of course free version has ads and you can buy premium to get rid of ads. This one is a complete video player package and worth trying. Sound quality is excellent with MX Player and if you care about audio quality while watching videos then go for MX Player.

Key Features

• Allows users to Pan/Zoom and Pinch to Zoom while playing videos
• Plays videos with hardware acceleration
• Supports multi-core decoding
• Supports almost all subtitle formats
• Allows live video streaming
• Kids Lock Safety Available

3. BSPlayer (Free)

BSPlayer is another good Android Video Player worth trying. This is an all-in-one video player which has great performance and smooth playback and aids multi core hardware decoding. Another one notable feature of BSPlayer is that you can even play videos from uncompressed RAR files.

Key Features

• Supports common video file formats
• Supports background playback
• Live streaming

4. KMPlayer (Free)

KMPlayer has been made to the top 30 best apps of Google Playstore in the past and another free video player for android to try. With this player you can enjoy multi-tasking capability of Android Lollipop OS. KMPlayer has a floating screen feature which lets you work with documents or send emails while the player is running.

Key Features

• Supports thirty different languages
• Supports all types of subtitle formats
• Runs most of the Video and HD Video Formats
• Can play videos directly from Google Drive

5. MoboPlayer (Free)

MoboPlayer is the last one in our list and supports almost all sorts of latest video formats with software decoding. This player comes with so many features and allows you to watch videos both online and offline.

Key Features

• Live streaming using HTTP & RTSP protocols
• Supports multi-audio streams
• Supports all subtitle formats
• Supports WIDI and DLNA

Over to You

That makes the list of top 5 best video players for android phones. If you like watching movies then give a try to above mentioned video players. All of them are available for free in Google Playstore and you can easily download and install them in your android phone or tablets and start enjoying movies anywhere you go.