I’m normally quite wary of these types of articles on-line, as they are invariably full of information that is either entirely common knowledge, or stuff that’s so obscure that it’s scarcely relevant. So what I’m going to do is outline what I would do if I had a new Hudl 2 to setup.
1. Install the Google Now Launcher
The first thing I would recommend is to replace the launcher. Google Now is my personal favourite. Installing this will give you a much more native Android experience on your Hudl 2.
Installing Google Now is simple. Just download it from the Play Store. When you open it, the Android Lollipop OS will ask you to choose which home app you want to use.
Select Google Now Laucher and then select “Always” on the bottom of the menu.
Google Now will now run as your default launcher. If you don’t like it and want to switch back to the default Hudl launcher, simple select Settings->Home and switch back to the Hudl launcher. Using this method you can try out multiple launchers until you find one you like.
2. Install ES File Explorer
No Android Device is complete without ES File Explorer. I use this application so often and I honestly think that I couldn’t manage without it. I mainly use it to copy files to and from multiple network drives at home and work. However, it can do far more than that. It would take more than this website alone to cover all of the features, but trust me, there is nothing better that I’m aware of when it comes to Android File Management.
- Need to add an addendum to this. The Free version of ES File Explore now suffers from an incredible level of feature bloat. This appears to have been designed to attract customers to the paid version of ES File Explorer Pro, which is lean and fast and equivelent to older versions of ES File Explorer.
3. Record the Screen
One of the many advantages of upgrading to Lollipop on the Hudl 2 is that you can use screen recording apps without root. These will record pretty much any non DRM protected content, which makes them ideal for recording gameplay videos like this:
I used AZ Screen Recorder to make this.
4. Backup Battery
The Hudl 2 is notorious for its poor battery life. After all, a low cost tablet can’t be expected to have everything. Rather than give trite advise on power saving techniques (which involve turning off all the features that make the Hudl 2 a pleasure to use), here’s what I’d recommend:
The Imuto External Battery pack is a great way of keeping any USB device running. It will charge a Hudl 2 from flat to full a couple of times. However, the real win is when you use it to keep a fully charged Hudl 2 running for longer (about 8 hours longer in practice). It has x2 USB ports and will happily charge two devices at once. I also use it when I’m repairing Hudl’s, to check quickly that the Battery is charging. Thanks to the numeric display, I can quickly see if some charge is getting to the device. It also has an LED torch built in which will prove very useful if you ever find yourself lost in a dark cave. Click on the Image below to get it on Amazon:
5. Taking Screenshots
Screenshot functionality is built into the Android OS. Simply press and hold both the volume down and the power button at the same time and you Hudl 2 will take a screenshot of any non DRM protected content showing on the screen.
