S pen Stylus upgraded

The S Pen stylus is Galaxy Note range's unique selling point and it has just got even better. Now in its fifth generation, the S Pen has been made lighter but feels more solid The most t ‘ii exciting move, however, is that you 3 ' can now draw and write on the Note 5 with your S Pen without even having to turn on the screen. This development will let users take quick notes without having to faff around with buttons. lt still saves the notes in exactly the same way as before, but itjust speeds up the entire process, which could prove very useful when jotting down a phone number or address. Arr Command has also been improved as hovering over the screen brings up icons for everything you can do on the phone with your S Pen, no matter what screen you are on at the time The stylus hasjust got a whole lot smarter

samsung Connect to your computer

Samsung has improved the synergy between your phone, tablet and PC with SideSync 3 0. You can now hook your S6 Edge+ or Note 5 up to your PC or tablet and seamlessly operate ~ the two of them , together. SideSync allows you to use your laptops mouse and keyboard on your phone so you can type messages without even touching your handset lt also lets you drag and drop files from the phone to the computer as easily as copying and pasting, which will remove the need to email or Dropbox large files. Samsung has improved the synergy between your phone, tablet and PC with SideSync 3 0. You can now hook your S6 Edge+ or Note 5 up to your PC or tablet and seamlessly operate ~ the two of them , together. SideSync allows you to use your laptops mouse and keyboard on your phone so you can type messages without even touching your handset lt also lets you drag and drop files from the phone to the computer as easily as copying and pasting, which will remove the need to email or Dropbox large files. You'll need to download the app onto whichever devices you plan to use SideSync on and then you'll be able to perform a range of tasks on the bigger screen. To be able to use SideSync, you will need a minimum of Android kitKat 4.4 on your phone, Windows XP on your laptop, SOOMB of hard drive space and at least TGB RAM on your laptop or tablet. SideSync is set to really help professionals who need to switch between their computers and mobile devices regularly and don't want the hassle of manually transferring file

Here’s what else you can do

While a security patch is the only way to fi x the Stagefright bug, there are a fewother defensive measures that you can take

Disable auto-fetching
While you can’t stop your phone from receiving MMS messages, you can stop your ' phone from automatically downloading video and giving hackers easy access to your data. In GoogIe’s stock Messenger app, go to Settings > Advanced and toggle Auto-retrieve to Off. In Hangouts, go to Settings > SMS and untick Auto retrieve MMS from the list of options

installing CyanogenMod 
If you’re phone is not due to be patched for a long time, orthe manufacturer hasn’t ‘ announced any update I plans at all, one = alternative to consider is installing CyanogenMod. This popular ROM has already fixed the Stagefright bug, but just make sure you‘re running CMl2.0 or 12.1 nightlies. However, to install CyanogenMod you will need to root your Android.

Install antivirus apps 
While Lookout make a point of saying they can’t patch the Stagefright bug, the mobile security and theft protection service do recommend antivirus software. This way, services such as Lookout will alert you when they detectany malware sent via MMS. Lookout is free to download and includes a two-week free trial, but costs £19.99 a month after that.

Get zlPS Protection 
Zimperium, the company that discovered the Stagefright flaws, were quick to patch their a cyber-protection software, called ZIPS Protection. Unfortunately, their suite of security tools is only available for businesses, rather than individual users, but if you own a company that relies on Android products and you’re worried about being targeted, this is worth considering.

The single largest software update the world has ever seen

Google, Samsung and LG have patched Stagefright and committed monthly security updates — but many more Androids are left exposed

The Zimperium security analyst that discovered Stagefright, Joshua Drake, revealed the flaw to the public in mid-July. But not before giving Google several months to write a security patch. This is normal practice in the computer security industry, so as to protect users and not to tip-off hackers. However, industry members also have a social responsibility to disclose vulnerabilities if they think the threat is great enough and the software vendor isn‘t doing enough to fix it. Fortunately, this wasn't the case. Speaking to NPR on 27 July, Drake said of when he contacted Google in April: “Within 48 hours I had an email [from Google] telling me that they had accepted all of the patches I sent them, which was great." So why did the tech giant have to wait until August to make the patch available? Of course, there was some internal beta testing to ensure the bug was completely fixed, but the larger problem was getting the patch through manufacturers and phone carriers, this was complicated and difficult. However, Google managed to surprise everyone who remembered the slow rollout of Android Lollipop. A patch wasn't just announced for Nexus devices, but Adrian Ludwig, Android's lead engineer for security, confirmed Samsung, Motorola, HTC, LG and Sony would push out patches too. “My guess is that this is the single largest software update the world has ever seen," said Adrian Ludwig, making the announcement at the Black Hat hacking conference. “Hundreds of millions of devices are going to be updated in the next few days. It's incredible." ln addition, Google, Samsung and LG have committed to monthly security updates to ensure vulnerabilities in Android are fixed faster. “Since software is constantly exploited in new ways, developing a fast response process to deliver security patches to our devices is critical to keep them protected," said Donglin Koh, EVP of Samsung Electronics, Mobile R&D Office. “We believe that this new process will vastly improve the security of our devices and will aim to provide the best mobile experience possible for our users." Nexus devices will continue to receive major updates for at least two years and security patches for the longer of three years from initial availability or 18 months from last sale of the device via the Google Store. At the time of writing, Samsung and LG were yet to give additional details about how and when the monthly updates will begin and for how long they will last. While the Nexus patch was made available the same day, updates to Android's most popular phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S6, HTC One M9, and LG G4, were rolled out throughout August at unprecedented speed. However, while lower-end manufacturer Alcatel OneT0uch have said they will patch their brandenew Idol 3 and Motorola have committed to patching even it's budget Moto E handset, the rest of the patches announced at time of writing only applied to flagship devices. There has been no commitment to swift patching for older models, which Zimperium claims are at even greater risk to being exploited via Stagefright.

How to install the patch
While it‘s referred to as a ‘security patch,’ your phone we-n‘t interpret it any differently from an ordinary system update. To install it, go to Settings and select System > About phone. In the new menu screen, tap System updates and then tap Check for update. Alternatively, if you would prefer to sideload the update to your Nexus yourself, rather than wait for the over-theair update, the build name is UlIlY48l.

How can I move apps on to the SD card ?

l need to clear some space and heard you can move apps to the SD card, but how do you do that ?

SD cards are vital to the smooth running of most Android phones because it's so easy to run out of storage space. You are able to move your apps to your SD card vvithjusta fevv clicks. Head into your Settings, then tap on Apps. Find the apps you vvantto move over, games vvill probably be the best option, and tap on the app name. Once you're in the app details screen, you should see the option to move the app to the SD card. Tap on that and it vvill shift the app and all the accompanying data across.

How do I manage my battery life ?

Should I wait until my battery is nearly zero before recharging it ?

AH, U19 GIG DBIIQFY conundmm. For a longtime peoplethought it was best to let their battery wind clown as close to zero as possible before charging it back up. This is mainly because it was belieyedthat a battery 'remembers' where it started getting charged from and takes that as its new zero per cent. Howeyer, it's now generallyaccepted thatyou should tryand keepyour phone regularly topped upthroughoutfl-ie day. keeping it between 50 and BL‘ per cent as much as possible. Around once a month you should drain it right down to calibrate the battery. but in generalyou want to keep it as far awayfromthe red line as possible. Regular mini charges will not only keep it from u sing up the limited supply of charge cycles, but it will also prevent it from getting too hotwhen charging from Dto “IUD. Heat also spoils battery life, so avoid that at all costs. Also, it means you're unlikelyto runoutofjuioe forwhenyou really need it!

How safe is rooting ?

I'm slightly nervous about rooting my phone. What are the dangers?

There are a few dangers involved with rooting. However, it's only dangerous if something goes wrong. lfyou follow the steps carefully and have all the correct software, it's an incredibly useful process. The biggest problem is that if you do the slightest thing wrong, your phone will become bricked, which is the Android community's word for rendering a phone so useless it's essentially a brick. The other thing to note is it will certainly invalidate your warranty, so you have no line of defence should things then go wrong. It's perfectly lega l, but the manufacturer won't shell out for a replacement.