5 Creative Uses For The Volume Button On Your Android Phone
If you thought you can’t do much with the volume button on your Android phone, think again. You can power it up with a bunch of applications to do more than just adjusting the ringer volume.
Here are some creative uses for the volume button:
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1. Answer calls using the volume button
#1 on the list is the EZButton app for Android that lets you answer calls using your volume button. Once installed, you can use the settings to configure what each button should do.
(screenshot source: Appbrain)
You have the option of answering calls normally, or with your speakers turned on, or just silence the ringer. The app isn’t free though, but it’s worth the buy at just $0.99.
2. Adjust screen brightness using the volume rocker
If you are tired of tapping screen after screen just to adjust the brightness on your Android phone, Brightness Rocker comes to the rescue. Using Brightness Rocker, you can instantly change the the screen brightness by tapping the volume up/volume down buttons.
The best part is you can get back to your work immediately by hitting the back button. It’s a lot of seconds saved, and it doesn’t actually replace the actual volume button function, and so, this app is a must-try.
3. Navigate RSS items using the volume rocker
If you use the official Google Reader app on your Android phone, you can dig up the settings to turn on navigation using the volume key. You needn’t fiddle with touch screen controls if you turn on volume key navigation.
This way, you can enjoy reading when you’re having breakfast! Guess what? You can get the same functionality in the Kindle app. It can’t get more comfortable than this, we say.
4. Unlock your phone with the volume button
If you think your phone’s power button is getting worn down because you’re using it too frequently to lock the screen, how about shifting some of that stress to the volume button instead? The No Lock app makes this possible.
While its primary purpose is to prevent the lock screen from appearing when the screen light turns off, the app can also unlock the phone screen when you press the volume button. Bonus: You can even use the trackball to unlock the screen.
5. Count using the volume button
T.Counter is a neat and simple app that is perfect for counting, umm.., anything you want it to. You can keep up to four counters to keep track of different things.
You can, of course, use the volume button to increment/decrement counts on these items with ease. There are plenty of widgets that accomplish the same, but there’s nothing that’s as complete or simple as this app.
6. Click photos using the volume rocker
If there’s no dedicated button on your phone that helps you click photos, and if you often have to fiddle with the naughty touchscreen every time you try to take a self portrait, it’s high time you have this app installed on your phone.
Installing the Volume Key Camera Shutter app gives you a way to take photos by pressing the volume button. This is quite useful if you have a resistive touch screen, because very so often, these phones are quite bad at recognizing touches.
7. Remap volume keys
Try this last one at your own risk. ButtonRemapper helps you reassign keys on your Android phone to different functions. You can choose to map the volume key to some other function other than the default one. You could use it to scroll pages, for example. There’s a different version of this app that’s available for Galaxy Tabs.
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If you know of any more ways to power up the volume button to do tasks that we haven’t imagined before, make sure you tell us in the comments!
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