Folders in Stock Launcher on Samsung Galaxy Y

First things first.

What is a launcher?

The launcher is what you get when you press the 'home' button on your android phone. It is something like your Windows Desktop. This is from where you launch apps, and hence the name (I guess :P).

So, what is the 'stock' launcher?

In android terms, 'stock' means anything that came with the device when you bought it. For example, the stock messaging app (read application) is the default messaging app of your device. The stock launcher in Samsung android phones is called the TouchWiz Launcher. There are, of course, different versions of it on different devices. The one we're talking about here is the default launcher that you find in the Galaxy Y and Galaxy Y Duos phones.

Here's how you create a folder:

1. Press the home button on your android device. You will see something like what is in the picture. The four-white-squares-in-a-blue-square icon in the bottom-right corner shows you all your apps, when clicked. The picture of Steve Jobs is the wallpaper. The box pasted on Steve Jobs' forehead is a 'widget' that shows the time.

2. Tap and hold (long press) on an empty area in your home screen.

3. Select 'Folder' from the menu titled 'Add to Home Screen', and then select 'New Folder' from the 'Select Folder' menu.

4. And voila! Your new folder is ready. It is called 'Folder' as of now.

5. Click on the folder icon to open the folder. Long press on the folder's name when the folder opens. This opens a 'Rename folder' dialog.

6. Rename your folder and click 'OK'.

7. You can now drag and drop your shortcuts into the folder. :)

8. Your folder is ready!

Note:

To move your shortcuts out of the folder, just long press the icon and drag it out :)

Source:

A pint of boredom in one hand, and a Galaxy Y Duos on the other :P

Another note:
Oh, and for those of you with sharp eyes... Yes, it took me from 8:54 to 9:55 to write this post ;)

Locating Your Android Device - Android Device Manager

I was clicking random links on my Google Settings page the other day, and it appears that there is a way to control - locate, rather - your android device from your Google account. Here's how you do it:

1. Login to your Gmail account (or your Google Dashboard). If you logged into Gmail, click on your account name at the top-right corner and click 'Account'. Go to the 'Data tools' tab and click on 'View account data'. You may need to enter your password again.

2. Once you are in your Dashboard, click 'Expand all' at the top. Scroll down to find the 'Android' section.

3. Click on 'Manage Devices'.

4. You will be taken to the Android Device Manager page. Click the little GPS icon on the box that has your device's name on it.

5. There is also an option to make the device ring, if you think it is nearby :)

So, that's it? What's the catch?

Here's the catch. I think the Device Manager contacts the device through the internet. So, this will work only if the device has a working data connection. And it took my device (connected to my home wi-fi) a full four minutes to respond to the Ring command.

EDIT:

It appears that you have to first enable this option from your phone. Here is how it is done:

1. Go to the 'Google Settings' app (short for application) on your device. Its the one with an icon that looks like the one below.

2. In the app, click on 'Android Device Manager', which will bring you to a screen with two options.

3. Make sure that the 'Remotely locate this device' option is checked. If you want to be able to erase or lock your device from your Google account, check the other option too.

You are done! :)

Recovery Mode in Android Devices

What is it?

It is a special mode in which an android phone or tablet can be booted, in order to reset, restore, root or update it.

How do I boot my Android device into Recovery Mode?

An Android device is usually booted into recovery mode by using certain hardware key combinations during powering it on. For example, a Samsung Galaxy Y Duos (GT-S6102) can be booted into recovery by powering it off, and then powering it on while holding Volume Up + Home + Power buttons.

http://www.controlf.net/recovery/ seems to list out the combination for quiet a few devices. Add your own in the comments

Point to note

This is a very powerful feature of android devices. But it is also a vulnerability. For example, a person stealing your phone can just boot into Recovery Mode and factory reset your phone.

I'm afraid of the black screen and serious-sounding options. What do I do?

Remove your battery. Put it back on. Power on your device. Forget this post. All this in good humor :P

What is the 'reboot' option? Will it erase my phone?

The 'reboot' option just powers off your device, and powers it on again - just the same thing as switching it off and on yourself.

Where do I go if I run into trouble?

The best place to look would be Google and the XDA Forums - http://forum.xda-developers.com/