Dial The Right Way: 5 Tips To Manage Your Calls Like a Pro

Simplicity is why most of us love the bare Android experience on Google Play Edition phones and Nexus devices. But when it comes to Google dialer, it's as simple as it looks and it punches way above its weight. Anything you find in HTC Sense or Samsung's TouchWiz just seems substandard if not downright unusable.

With constant updates that polish the app every now and then, one may not keep track of what's hot in the dialer. But fear not, we've got you covered with top tips and tricks you need to master the dialer on Android.

Ghostbusters calling you

Incognito calls from random phone numbers are rarely exciting and even cause surges of anxiety for some.

Most of the people aren't clairvoyant so it's hard to guess who's calling you during a meeting and if it's worth picking up or not. Maybe it's the insurance company trying to convince you to upgrade your plan or it's your GP going the extra mile to reveal the results of your tests.

With pure Android, you don't have to guess anymore. Using a feature called Google ID, your dialer app will identify the caller most of the time. Here's what it looks like.

When you call a number or receive the incoming call, Google will do a quick search with its own Caller ID and give you a quick glimpse of general information about this contact.

For outgoing calls, the search will normally return some results as you type.

Get searching

With Google, you can't stop searching. The omnipresent search bar on top of your home screen makes searching easy so you can find the nearby bakery or bicycle parking you need. Moreover, service numbers can be displayed as well.

Dedicated Search

Another approach you can use is searching right from within your Phone app.

When you touch one of your contact's icons, you'll be prompted with extra details about the place or a company.

When the screen pops up you're good to touch the icon to send a text. If you need the location, you can touch the address and the Maps app will guide you.

Modify your Contacts app

Nexus devices and other pure Android mobiles have a separate Contacts app, but you're free to ditch it as you don't really need it. Your Android device will do just as fine with Phone app alone - not only will it organize the Contacts but also you can export and import them.

If you want to toggle up your contacts, you can copy a .vcf file from your internal storage or SIM card through Settings > Import menu. Of course, it's easier to do via a cloud service, but at least, you have the options, right?

Respond with your thumb

Not in the mood for talking? We get it. Your Android does, too! You can create a set of quick responses to shoot a quick text while you're busy with something else.

You don't need a separate app to do this! Go to Phone > Settings > Quick responses. There you'll find the default choices:  "I’ll call you right back." "I’ll call you later", "Can’t talk now. Call me later?" and "Can’t talk now. What’s up?".

Of course, these are not set in stone. Just tap one of them to customize the message the way you see fit.

When the call comes through and you really can't talk - or simply don't want to, it's been known to happen - slide the response button up and touch the message icon. There you can choose the one that relates to your current situation or whereabouts more, and your phone will send it as a text.

These tips will help you discover the hidden potential snoozing in Android so you can perform your daily tasks faster.

Got anything to add to this? Let us know in the comments below!

Ryan Stone

@freepps

Tech junkie, grilled haloumi devourer, cat owner @freepps_top