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The latest 4G-enabled Android phones tend to consume wireless data at an alarmingly rapid pace—and that’s a problem, particularly since most of the big U.S. carriers only offer a limited monthly allowance of high-speed data. That’s why I’m bullish about a feature in the new “Ice Cream Sandwich” version of Google’s mobile Android software: a data-usage monitor that warns you if you’re approaching...

Got your Gmail on your Android phone? If so, you may have noticed that the Gmail app for Android only syncs your inbox, sent mail, and “priority” messages automatically, not all your other folders—and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, given the amount of juice it would take to keep all your various Gmail folders in sync.But here’s the thing: you can, if you wish, go ahead and force your Android...

The new voice-activated “intelligent assistant” for the upcoming iPhone 4S, may be getting all the buzz, but you can already bark commands at your handset if you own a relatively recent Android smartphone.No, Android’s “Voice Actions” feature won’t check your calendar or tell you if you’ll need a raincoat today like Siri (supposedly) can, but it will compose text messages, queue up songs, place...

If Google Maps on your Android phone has been feeling a little flat lately, get ready to add a little depth to the experience.A feature in the latest version of Google Maps for Android lets you tilt the map view for a 3D-like perspective, complete with 3D buildings for more than a dozen major cities.Just drag down with two fingertips to tilt Google Maps for a 3D-like perspective.The 3D feature is...

iPhone users will get on-the-go, iCloud-enabled access to any open browser tabs on their desktops. It’s a nifty new feature for anyone who’s heading out the door but wants to keep web surfing—and it also happens to be a trick you can perform on your Android phone right now.All you need is a Google account and the mobile version of Google’s impressive Chrome web browser, which is now available...

Don’t have time to take an incoming call, but don’t want to just send your caller to voicemail? If you’ve got a newer Android phone, there’s another option: you can also send a quick, pre-written text message while you’re declining the call.Most Android handsets running on the latest “Ice Cream Sandwich” version of Google’s Android operating system have this so-called “quick response” feature,...