1. Dole Out Nicknames
It amazes me how little people take advantage of the customizability of Android OS. There are literally hundreds of ways to customize everything on your Android device – including your contacts. Besides, it’s a lot of fun. Let’s say you put your brother’s new number into your address book along with his first and last name. When you want to call him, you just tell Google Now to “Call Brother” and not “Call Travis E.” when you want to chat. Luckily for you, you own an Android and that means you have the ability to add nicknames in your contacts app. All you have to do is tap “People/Contacts -> Edit -> Add another field -> and type in the nickname.” The next time you use a voice command, all you’ll need to ask Google Now to do is “Call Brother.”
2. Pin Contacts to Your Home Screen
Android will let you pin a contact to your home screen (or any screen for that matter) outside of the contacts app. It’s a cool way to bypass scrolling through a long list of contacts. You can pin a contact by tapping “Menu -> Widgets -> Contact.” Once you’ve pinned your contact(s), their photo will appear. Just give them a tap, and your contact’s details will pop up with the option to call, email, or text.
3. Create Reminders
If you struggle with remembering birthdays and anniversaries, this one’s for you. Android has your back when it comes to keeping up with all those special dates for specific people you have to keep up with. To add a contact specific special event, just tap “Contact Name -> Edit -> Add another field -> Events.” Add the date and label it with whatever special occasion it is you’re supposed to remember on that day.
4. Assign Custom Ringtones
Hopefully you’re not so glued to your Android that it’s in your hands 24/7; however, you may always want to know when certain contacts are calling, like your mom or your boss, so you don’t accidentally ignore them. What better way to keep up with specific contacts calling than by assigning them a custom ringtone? To ensure you never miss important calls from important contacts, just tap “Contact Name -> Set Ringtone” and assign the ringtone you would like to associate with that contact.
5. Avoid Aggravating Contacts
Let’s be honest, there are just some people in our address books who really cook our grits, but we have to keep them in there in case of work emergencies or something of that nature. When you just don’t feel like answering somebody’s call, Android provides you with a nifty little feature entitled “Send All Calls to Voicemail,” and it’s the best thing ever. All you have to do to enable it for specific contacts is tap “Contact Name -> All Calls to Voicemail.” One of two things will happen: they’ll get the hint or keep calling anyway. Regardless, you don’t have to worry about it anymore.
Conclusion
Your Android is meant to be tailored to your personal taste. Your address book is just one place you can play with the customization features Android offers and make the most of the information you keep stored there while you’re at it. Don’t be afraid to play around and discover what else you can do. Speaking of which, do you have any tips or tricks for maximizing the potential of your contact list? Photo Credit: Fin6.us
