Everything Else
How To: Add Custom Swipe Gestures to Your Nexus 7 for Better Control & Easier Navigation
You can do many things on your Nexus 7 to make life easier, like auto-categorize photos and perform on-the-fly calculations, but one thing that you should really have is more swipe gestures. By adding custom swipe gestures, you'll be able to navigate your device better, skip music tracks, and get instant access to designated apps, all with the flick of a few fingers.
How To: Trick Out Your Nexus 7's Lock Screen with a Custom Lockring Icon
If you're as bad at locking your Nexus up as I am, you have the "slide" option set for your screen lock. It may not be the most secure option, but it's definitely the easiest way to unlock your device while being able to utilize lock screen widgets.
How To: Categorize Old & New Photos Automatically by Topic on Your Nexus 7 for a Tidier Gallery
It can be a pretty exasperating ordeal to hunt for one image on your tablet when you have hundreds and hundreds of photos in your gallery. Luckily, there are ways to make this a pain-free process on your Nexus 7, as well as make sure it's never a problem in the future.
How To: Put Your Nexus 7 in Deep Sleep Mode to Conserve Battery Power Throughout the Day
Battery life is precious to all mobile device users, and nothing is worse than running out of it. The only thing that can save a device from the dreaded low battery warning is the charger, but who carries those around?
How To: Perform Quick Calculations & Google Searches on the Fly
Numbers are everywhere in life, and some are better at doing the math than others. Unless you're Gert Mittring, it's safe to say you use the calculator app on your tablet just as much as I do, and it's often disrupting your other tasks.
Warning: These 5 Psychedelic Wallpapers for Your Nexus 7 Will Trip You Out
It's time to trip out with your tablet. If you're not looking to drain that precious battery life with a fancy-looking live wallpaper, then apply an optical illusion that appears to be moving on your Nexus 7 (or any other Android device) instead.
How To: Quick Launch Apps from Anywhere on Your Nexus 7 with an Easy Access Side Dock
I don't like a lot of app icons on my home screen. It makes everything on my Nexus 7 feel dense and congested. As a minimalist, I like a simple and well-organized home screen, which is why I regularly utilize my app drawer to launch apps.
How To: Keep Better Track of Your Battery Life on the Nexus 7
There were some pretty amazing things included in the Android 4.4 KitKat update, but unfortunately, most of them were left inactive on our Nexus 7 tablets. Some, like full-screen immersive mode and the hidden battery percentage status bar icon, could be enabled on rooted devices, but not everyone wants to root.
How To: Install Adobe Flash Player on Your Nexus 7 Running Android 4.4 KitKat
When our Nexus 7s upgraded to KitKat, one key piece of functionality was lost in the mix—Flash support. Of course, even before that we never had official support on the Nexus 7, but hacks seemed to do the job just fine. As it stands now, Google remains on the warpath against Flash, opting instead for HTML5 use, specifically in Chrome (where Flash never worked anyway), and of course Adobe stopped supporting Android long ago.
How To: Add Thumb-Friendly Quick Settings to Your Nexus 7 Tablet
There are two types of tablet users in the world—those who like their quick settings up top, and those who want them on the bottom. I fall into the latter category, and there are a couple of reasons for it.
How To: Draw Your Own Personal Clock Widget for the Nexus 7
I never really cared much for the clock widget on my Nexus 7, mainly because it only gave me two styles—analog and digital. There are many different styles of clock widgets available on Google Play, but the majority of them just don't look good enough for me.
How To: Turn Your Favorite Pics into Photo Mosaics on Your Nexus 7
Photo mosaics have interested me since I was a kid. I could never understand how someone took the time and effort to make one large masterpiece out of hundreds of smaller images. Maybe I'm too daft to grasp the concept, but it seems extremely difficult. I certainly don't have the necessary skills to make my own work of art, but luckily my Nexus 7 does.
How To: Wake Up to Spoken Calendar Events & Weather Forecasts for the Day on Your Nexus 7
I regularly use my Nexus 7 to wake up in the mornings (well, sometimes afternoons), but it's pretty minimal in what it does. I shouldn't have to open multiple apps when I wake up to figure out my schedule for the day or what the weather is going to be like.
How To: The Easiest Way to Access Recent Files & Photos on Your Nexus 7
If you use your Nexus 7 like me, then you're constantly downloading APKs, installing new games from Google Play, taking a million photos, and using multiple apps at the same time.
How To: The Easiest Way to Find a Halfway Spot Between You & Someone You're Meeting Using Your Nexus 7
Back in college, there were many instances where I'd have to meet up with a partner that I was randomly paired with in order to work on a project or to study for an exam. Besides the awkward interactions, the most difficult part was always figuring out where we would meet off-campus. I live here and they live there, so what's reasonably halfway?
How To: Create Restricted Profiles on Your Nexus 7 for Guest Users
Whenever I hand my tablet over to someone, my heart always races for a second at the thought that they may stumble across my private pictures, texts, and videos. I trust them, and they may not be the snooping type, but it can be easy enough to come across private stuff by accidentally opening a gallery or messaging app.
How To: Access Notifications & Quick Settings from a Secured Lock Screen on Your Nexus 7
Accessing notifications and quick settings from the lock screen just makes things move quicker and more efficiently, unless of course we're using a secure lock screen. It makes sense that if we have face, pattern, or pin security enabled, we may not want notifications accessible, but really, that should be something we decide for ourselves—and now we can.
How To: Get Samsung's Exclusive "Milk Music" App on Your Nexus 7 or Other Android Device
Samsung's exclusive music streaming service, Milk Music, has been making waves across the web thanks to its peculiar name and ad-free stations.
Extreme Multitasking: How to Run Multiple Apps at the Same Time on Your Nexus 7 (No Root Required)
Recently, I offered a guide detailing how to run two separate windows on a Nexus 7 tablets for better multitasking. While extremely useful, that mod was limited to only two windows, and you also needed root access to use it.
How To: Use a Firewall to Control Web Access for Apps & Stay Private on Your Nexus 7
Apps that have no business accessing the internet can share your location, device ID, and other personal information with potentially malicious data snatchers. If you're connected to the internet on your Nexus 7 tablet, you're a potential target for cyber threats.
How To: Control Music Using the Power & Volume Keys When Your Nexus 7's Screen Is Off
I regularly listen to music on my Nexus 7 while working or playing my Xbox. It's light and easy to carry around, and has basically become an extension of my body. The only thing that bugs me is having to constantly turn the screen on to pause or change music tracks. Even if I can do it from my lock screen instead of the actual music player app—I don't want to.
How To: Unlock Your Nexus 7 with These Free Mini Lock Screen Games
Sometimes it's the little things that make our days better, like finding a dollar in our recently washed jeans or a box of donuts in the lunch room. But your Nexus 7 tablet's lock screen isn't typically one of those things—it's just a lock screen after all.
How To: “Flatten” the Instagram App on Your Nexus 7 Tablet for an iOS 7 Look & Feel
Android devices are awesome, let me just state that now, but when iOS 7 came out, the new flat theme caught my eye. Yes, we can easily apply new themes on our Nexus 7 tablets to make it look more like iOS 7, but they won't actually change the individual look and feel of apps like Instagram.
How To: Prevent Snoops from Accessing Private Messages, Photos, Videos, & More on Your Nexus 7
My friends can be pretty shitty sometimes, but they're my friends nonetheless. On various occasions, they've secretly taken my device and made me look foolish by posting crude and embarrassing posts to Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. With friends like these, who needs enemies, right? And it's because of these types of friends that we need to substantially upgrade the app security on our devices.
How To: Set Custom Fonts for Apps, Settings, & More on Your Nexus 7 Tablet
We softModders come from all walks of life, and sooner or later, our devices begin to reflect who we are. Maybe you've followed one of our guides on customizing your Nexus 7, such as getting the exclusive Google Experience Launcher or hiding the navigation buttons for more screen space, or maybe you used one of the various Xposed mods we've covered.
Get Your Lazy Ass Out of Bed: 3 Ways Your Nexus 7 Can Keep You from Oversleeping
Oversleeping isn't just an epidemic that affects millions of hungover college students every year, we all want that extra minute or two of sleep. Unfortunately, oversleeping and showing up late to work or class isn't something we can generally afford to do.
How To: Hide Your Nexus 7's Soft Keys to Maximize Usable Screen Space
I know all of you softModders love these little modifications, like enabling the hidden battery percentage on the Nexus 7 or getting the exclusive Google Launcher on your Nexus, so here's an easy one that lets you hide the soft-keys from your tablet, which will actually expand your screen to look a little bit longer.
How To: Unlock the Hidden "Notification History" Feature on Your Nexus 7 Tablet
If you're really popular, like myself, then you're constantly receiving a steady flow of notifications on your Android device. This is either a nuisance, or a reassurance of your popularity. Sometimes you get too many notifications at one time to view, or you accidentally swipe an important alert away, rendering it lost forever.
How To: Multitask Like a Boss on Your Nexus 7 Tablet with Faster Access to Apps & Settings
I have literally played Madden, watched YouTube videos, and listened to music on my phone all at the same time. Some would call this pathetic, but I call it talent. Life is way too short, so I need to get the most out of it when I can. Thank goodness for multitasking, which should be a key feature when you're looking into a new tablet or phone.
How To: Add a Power Menu to Your Nexus 7 to Reboot into Fastboot or Recovery Mode More Easily
Getting into fastboot or recovery mode on your Android device is nothing new, especially if you're a softModder. Accessing the bootloader menu is the genesis to a lot of mods, and if you're like me and constantly tweak your device, you probably get irritated every time you have to shutdown, then use the power button and volume rockers to access the special menus.
How To: Back Up Your Nexus 7 Without Rooting or Adding a Custom Recovery
At some point, we all need to back up our device. Maybe it's time to take it in for repairs or maybe you're just cautious and paranoid. Maybe you're trying out a new ROM on your Nexus 7—then you definitely need to back up. The most secure way would be to use a custom recovery like ClockworkMod or TWRP, but if you're not rooted or planning to root, then you'll need an easy alternative.
How To: Preview New Google Hangout Messages Right from the Home Screen on Your Nexus 7
Most people were skeptical when Google replaced Google Talk with Hangouts, but to my surprise, it was an easy and pleasant transition. It has basically consolidated my conversations into one location. I can see all SMS, MMS, and Google Talk conversations in one place.
Multitask Faster: How to Switch Between Running Apps More Rapidly on Your Nexus 7 Tablet
It's fairly easy to switch between running apps on the Nexus 7 by hitting the Recent apps key in the Navigation bar at the bottom of your screen, but for me—it's just not good enough. I don't particularly like leaving the app I'm currently in to see this menu, and the menu itself is kind of clunky, and overall, not as fast as I'd like it to be.
How To: Make Your Nexus 7 Shut Up on a Schedule (Plus, Toggle Other Frequently Used Settings)
Silence is golden, especially when you're sleeping and about to lock lips with Kate Upton in a dream (or Ryan Gosling, for all you ladies). The last thing you want is your tablet rudely interrupting your passionate kiss with blaring notifications. It's even worse in real-life when you're in an important meeting and you forgot to silence your Android up.
How To: Upload Your eBook Collection to Your Nexus 7 Tablet Using Google Play Books
You've got a brand new Nexus 7 tablet for Christmas, and you're extremely eager to start using it. There are many things you can do with it, like shake for new wallpapers, get rounded screen corners, and make it help you fall asleep at night. But, before you get into softModding your Nexus 7, you should know the basics, and if you've come over from a Kindle, turning your new Android tablet into a powerful eReader is a must.
How To: Turn Your Nexus 7 into a Personal Mixologist to Class Up Your Home Bar
You have an abundance (or scarcity) of alcohol, liqueurs, and chasers, but don't know how to combine or mix them together to produce some kind of enjoyable concoction for friends. What do you do? Mix things you think will taste good together? They probably won't. There's rules about clear alcohol vs. dark alcohol and how they pair with juices and sodas, so what's the best way to know what goes well with what?
How To: Turn Your Nexus 7 Tablet into a Mouse & Keyboard for Your Computer
Like insurance, it's always better to have a computer mouse and not need it than to need it and not have it. Honestly, I don't want to carry around a clunky mouse with my laptop, so I don't. I do something else, something more convenient. I use my Nexus 7. If you want to give it a try, I'll show you how it's done right now. All you need to is a Wi-Fi network and a specific Android app to control your computer with your Android tablet.
How To: Capture Action on Your Nexus 7 Using the "Exclusive" Sony Xperia Motion Shot Camera
Sometimes, taking a picture of your friend doing a crazy stunt just doesn't suffice. Getting the progression of the stunt in one image does!
How To: Edit & Filter Your Photos Like a Pro on the Nexus 7 Tablet
For those of you who have (or had) and iPhone, one of the cooler photo apps for iOS was VSCO Cam, an extremely popular camera with pro-quality filters and effects. Now this app is available for Android on Google Play for your Nexus 7 tablet and any other devices running Android 4.0 and up.
How To: Never Miss Important Dates Again with These Countdown Widgets & Apps for Your Nexus 7 Tablet
I can't begin to tell you how many times I've forgotten a special day or event. Once, I even showed up to class where everyone was turning in essays while I sat there empty-handed. Important dates sneak up on us. Especially one-time events we just can't wait for, like the release of a new movie when we count down the days, minutes, and hours.