Android 4.4 harbors a neat little feature within its make-up that allows you to speed your device up in just a couple of small steps. It works for the Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One M8 and the brand new LG G3, as well as the Galaxy Note 3, Nexus 5 and essentially any other handset or tablet running on the latest major release of Google’s software. Below, we’ve got the step-by-step tutorial, so be sure to join us right after the fold for the low-down.
We’ve already spoken before about Android Runtime, or ART, and its benefits on speeding up your device as a whole, but for the benefit of the uninitiated, perhaps a little background information is in order. Essentially, ART is the replacement for the Dalvik app compiler, and in layman’s terms, works a great deal more quickly than Davlik.
Thus, if you’re running Android 4.4.x, it’s in your best interests to enable ART and in turn, reap the benefits of a faster user interface. This can be achieved in a couple of steps, which we’ve outlined below in an easy-to-follow tutorial.
First and foremost, though, you’ll need to enable Developer Options. This is relatively easy, but given that they’re hidden away by default, you must unearth them before you can proceed. As such, the initial portion of this guide will concentrate solely on enabling this feature.
Step 1: Fire up the Settings app and then go to About.
Step 2: Find the Build Number section and tap it repeatedly. Keep doing it until you see the "Developer Options have been enabled" confirmation.
Step 3: Now, you’ll be enabling ART, or Android Runtime. To do this, go into Developer Options within Settings, and find “Select Runtime”.
Step 4: Finally, tap the Select Runtime feature, and after a drawn-out booting period, you’ll have a much faster Android smartphone or tablet!
The improvements are very much noticeable, especially with regards to speed and battery life, and although Google will certainly roll out Android Runtime to the masses in due course, you’ll be able to enjoy a nippier Android experience until that day arrives.
If you’re in the ownership of a Nexus 4, 7 or 10, then be sure to check out:
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