How to add Hindi keyboard on Sony Xperia ZR Android KitKat

Do the following to set up the Hindi keyboard on the Sony Xperia ZR running Android KitKat. Settings -> Language and Input Look for Xperia keyboard with International Keyboard displayed under it. Click on the configure icon next to it. Select Writing Languages and check or tick Hindi In my case I have English UK … Continue reading How to add Hindi keyboard on Sony Xperia ZR Android KitKat →

How to set up Airtel Mobile Internet access manually on Android phone

Recently, it was very tough to get the mobile internet settings from India's largest cellular service provider. This link on their website to receive settings via SMS never worked despite several retries on different days. Finally, he called their helpline at 121 and got to the option where they ask all sorts of questions including … Continue reading How to set up Airtel Mobile Internet access manually on Android phone →

Sony Xperia ZR not recognized when connected via USB port to Linux laptop

Note that Sony Xperia ZR USB mount only works with USB v 3.0 ports. If you connect the phone via USB to a USB v 2 port, and enter: $ dmesg <enter> you will see the following message in the log: mtp-probe: bus: 1, device: 5 was not an MTP device If it connects successfully … Continue reading Sony Xperia ZR not recognized when connected via USB port to Linux laptop →

How to prevent Android from scanning select folders on start up

Many Android phones like the Sony Xperia and Samsung, use the Media Scanner service that starts up when you switch on your Android phone. This service crawls through all folders in the storage card or the storage memory. This would mean that Android applications such as the Gallery and Media players can identify your files … Continue reading How to prevent Android from scanning select folders on start up →

How to stop the DSMService on your Windows 8 computer

Upon connecting the Sony Xperia ZR phone or even an ordinary pen drive to the Windows 8 computer, I found that it shows a window that says Installing drivers... This is strange, because when I connected the Sony Xperia ZR to the Windows 8 computer, it detected the storage and showed it all correctly in … Continue reading How to stop the DSMService on your Windows 8 computer →

Why Sony Xperia ZR Android 4.3 firmware upgrade is very slow

Sony Xperia ZR upgrade to Android 4.3 was rolled out recently. I decided to upgrade. First off, I am a Linux user, who was forcibly sold Windows 8 by Lenovo, when I bought their Z580 laptop. In hindsight, this was a good thing, as I find to my chagrin, that the Sony Xperia ZR Android … Continue reading Why Sony Xperia ZR Android 4.3 firmware upgrade is very slow →

How to overcome issue with Walkman App on Sony Xperia and Clean Music Player with Bass Booster

It has been a struggle to get Sony Xperia ZR's Walkman App to recognize music files on the external SD Card. Unfortunately, sometime ago, it detected the Micro SD card and built the play lists, but lately, it does not do that as well. After installing Android 4.3 on the Sony Xperia ZR too, the … Continue reading How to overcome issue with Walkman App on Sony Xperia and Clean Music Player with Bass Booster →

Disable Google Chrome and install Opera Browser on Sony Xperia

There are times when we need more privacy. Fortunately for users of Sony Xperia phones, it is possible to Disable pre-installed stock applications in Settings -> Apps -> Running -> Google Chrome and press on the Disable button. Next you can install the Opera Browser from the Google Play Store. Do not choose the Opera … Continue reading Disable Google Chrome and install Opera Browser on Sony Xperia →

How to connect Xperia ZR external SD Card to Ubuntu 13.04

When you directly connect the USB cable from the Sony Xperia ZR to Xubuntu 13.04 computer, and try to tell it to connect the USB from the phone, it displays a message asking Install PC Companion. If you select Yes, it shows you a folder where you see the PC Companion software, an EXE file … Continue reading How to connect Xperia ZR external SD Card to Ubuntu 13.04 →

Sony Xperia ZR overheating after upgrade to 10.3.1.A.2.67 solution

If you experience overheating of the Sony Xperia ZR phone after upgrading the system to 10.3.1.A.2.67, you can reduce this by disabling NFC. The overheating was due to NFC being switched on by default after the upgrade. Apparently, the upgrade leaves it on after you power on the phone.