Sure, we look for the best cameras, the thinnest builds, and the largest batteries when it comes to choosing our smartphones; but what about those little add-ons that pretty much matter in everyday usage? We list down 6 smartphone features we usually overlook.
1. Notification Light
A notification light is one feature that never made it to Apple devices (except using its flash to alert you). The feature is mostly seen on phones running Android — it’s just a small LED light usually near the speaker phone at the front or nestled at the base of the screen. It notifies the user of calls, messages, emails, and even Facebook updates by lighting up in different colors.
This eliminates the need to unlock your phone or press anything just to check if you have new messages. One look at your phone even from a distance should already tell you if you have any updates.
2. Music Player Equalizer
All the music-lovers out there would agree with us when we say it pays to have an equalizer integrated within the music player. This prevents being stuck with a standard sound and if you don’t exactly have one of the best headphones on then your music experience could be underwhelming — and tuneheads don’t want that!
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Having your own equalizer lets you have extra room to compensate the shortcomings (if there are any) and tweak the sound to your liking. If you want bass, drop the lows!
3. End Call Using Power Button
Having this small feature comes into play when you’re standing inside the MRT and your phone rings. You can get it, swipe to answer, talk, end the call and put it back in your pocket, and go back to holding on to the safety handrail. It wasn’t made for just that one specific scenario but you get our point.
Plus, since it’s a physical button you can feel it without needing to look for it so you can end your call and put the phone back in its place in one go (pressing the power button also locks your screen right after the call).
4. Built-in Battery Saver
Battery life has been an old issue and we don’t want our smartphone dying on us in the middle of a traffic jam. This is where a battery saver or a power-saving manager would be useful. The built-in program optimizes the phone’s remaining energy and eliminates other processes which are not being used.
One example is the ASUS Fonepad 7 (FE171CG) that we recently reviewed. It yielded a result of 16 hours of video playback before its battery drains.
5. Cellular Data Manager
Buried somewhat deep in the Settings menu, the cellular data manager can be found which basically tells you how much data you’ve consumed for the past days.
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This is essential to those that register under a telcom’s Internet promo which comes with certain allocated data to be consumed. It lets you monitor your usage and from there know how much more you can surf until you find the next Wi-Fi spot.
6. Dedicated Shutter Button
If you find yourself always whipping out your smartphone to take a #selfie or capture something that amuses you, a dedicated shutter button for the camera will prove handy.
Not only do you have a physical button that makes you use it just like a camera, it also acts like a shortcut button for some phones to go straight to their Camera app in an instant. It’s click and go wherever you go.
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Those are our simple but helpful features that we often overlook, although it could really make the user experience easier and more enjoyable. Do you have a feature that you think is a lot helpful in everyday tasks? Don’t hesitate to throw them at the comment section!
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