• Latest
  • All
  • How To
What's on my phone - Kenn Abuya

What’s on My Phone: Kenn Abuya

January 3, 2021
ConnectedAfrica2025(Day4)-meta-foondamate

Connected Africa 2025 Day 4: FoondaMate and Meta Team Up to Bring AI to Classrooms

May 29, 2025
google-veo-3

Actors and Film Crews Are Worried About Veo 3 Taking Their Jobs

May 29, 2025
iOS 26

Apple Plans Big Rename for iOS and macOS at WWDC 2025

May 29, 2025
University student fined for defamatory Facebook posts

University Student Fined KES 7.5 Million for Defamatory Facebook Posts

May 29, 2025
DHgate Tablet Cases deals
AI Africa policies database

New Platform Brings All African AI Policies Under One Database

May 28, 2025
POATE 2025

Kenya’s Tourism Sector Grows as Travel Gets Easier Across East Africa

May 28, 2025
sodium-ion battery

Researchers Develop Sodium-Ion Battery That Charges to 80% in 6 Minutes

May 27, 2025
TV Gambling Ads

Regulator Fines Stations Using Religious Shows to Push Gambling

May 27, 2025
Connected Africa Summit 2025

Connected Africa 2025 Day 2: Focus on Digital Inclusion & Cybersecurity

May 27, 2025
whatsapp chatbots

iPad Users May Finally Get a Native WhatsApp App

May 28, 2025
Connected Africa Summit

Connected Africa Summit Calls for Unified Tech Vision

May 28, 2025
Kenya Safaricom share sale

Kenya Plans Mega Sale of Safaricom Shares to Raise Over a Billion Dollars

May 26, 2025
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
No Result
View All Result
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
No Result
View All Result
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
No Result
View All Result

What’s on My Phone: Kenn Abuya

Kenn Abuya by Kenn Abuya
January 3, 2021
in Editorial
Reading Time: 6 mins read
248
0
What's on my phone - Kenn Abuya

Introduction

The What Is in Your Phone series is an interesting part of looking into the way we use our phones, and what you can learn about the apps we love, a customization here and there, and how we unwind after a long day – staying indoors in preparation to sleep at night.

The first part of this series can be read here, and let me warn you early enough, it is far more interesting than what you are about to read here.

You see, I have been using Android phones for a decade now, and over that time, I have come to know my essentials and how to organize them for quick access. This means that that the apps I used to love half a decade ago haven’t changed, and there is something called age that somehow stops you from trying out new apps, customizations, or pure experimentation with stuff (although I just went back to flashing ROMs, this time Android 11 Beta for the Galaxy S10 – but more of that story in another day).

And with that in mind, let’s jump right in.

Phone – OPPO Reno4

This device has been my daily driver for the past two months. It is an excellent device, but I did not get the chance to review it because my colleague George did. There are many good things I have to say about it, but I’m not going to do that because of time and the theme of this story, but if you really have to know, refer to the linked review, or take my word for it: it is great.

Homescreen

I have the simplest homescreens around. And that for good reason: quick access to my most frequently used apps.

It is only a single page besides the Google Discover one on the left side.

This keeps everything simple for me.

Simplicity has further been explored by avoiding folders (never really liked them).

I also have two widgets; Google (when I want to search something fast), and the weather widget that I hardly use, but love it for the large clock.

The apps I used most are right here too: Spotify, Google Photos, Maps, Instagram, mySafaricom App, Play Store, Gmail, Twitter, Hangouts (don’t even ask), WhatsApp – and the dock has the camera app, Messages, Chrome, Plus Messenger (a better Telegram app) and the Phone app.

Told yah, simple!

 Lockscreen

ColorOS 7.2 allows me to richly customize the lockscreen, but I haven’t done that because I don’t see the need to.

However, the clock and weather widgets are here.

I get to see my notifications from the lockscreen two, and haven’t found the need to hide them (might do that when the pandemic goes away).

The Reno4 has an in-screen fingerprint reader, and it flashes anytime you lift the phone.

I haven’t activated Always on Display, but this is how it looks:

Notifications Management

I approach notification just like any other person would, and that is by opening them immediately. Doesn’t matter if it is a message from a person I don’t want to talk to; I read them all because I love being the bigger person (this is a joke).

As said, I can also read notifications from the lockscreen, and if they are from my work email, I complete them on the computer.

Quite pedestrian, right?

Customization

Besides ordering my icons on the homescreen, there is nothing I have done with my device.

I don’t use third party launchers anymore – probably because they don’t play nice with the Reno4 (I’m looking at you, Nova Launcher). This also extends to third party icon packs, which the native launcher in ColorOS supports by the way.

I also haven’t done much with Settings besides changing a few display settings and sounds management for notifications.

I know I am a boring person, but when you use these things for a long time, you get into a routine that you don’t want interrupted. I am sure you can understand that.

For your information, however, the Reno4 has a ton of settings that you probably can’t finish going through in one sitting, so it is a very good device for the adventurous.

How to unwind

I don’t really unwind using my phone or apps – there are far too many nice things out there to do just that.

But I have a total of 3 games that really like; Microsoft Solitaire, Sudoku and Woka Woka.

My Apps

Here is a list of all my apps:

Conclusion

As I rightly warned, I don’t customize my device that much, and have settled for a few apps that I have used over and extended period.

ColorOS, in part, is to blame because it is so good right now for it to make me try to change its aesthetics. I hear version 11, which is coming alongside Android 11 is even better, so I don’t think I will use a third-party launcher for a while.

Still, I hope you learned something.

More articles in this stream:

What’s on My Phone: George Kamau

What’s on My Phone: Kenn Abuya

What’s On My Phone: Kiruti Itimu

What’s on My Phone: June Okal

What’s on My Phone: Saruni Maina

What’s on My Phone: Dickson Otieno

Stay tuned for new entries each week.

Tags: What’s On My Phone
SendShare147Tweet92
Kenn Abuya

Kenn Abuya

Kenn Abuya is a friend of technology, with bias in enterprise and mobile tech. Share your thoughts, tips and hate mail at [email protected]

Related Posts

What’s on My Phone: Lulu Ngei, Software Engineer at Microsoft

November 24, 2021
What’s on My Phone: Sally Kuria

What’s on My Phone: Sally Kuria

May 5, 2021

What’s on My Phone: Mwirigi

May 3, 2021
What’s on My Phone: Tyrus Kamau

What’s on My Phone: Tyrus Kamau

January 28, 2021
Huawei Y9

What’s on My Phone: Mutindi Muema

January 26, 2021
OPPO A93

What’s on My Phone: Nick Kanali

January 25, 2021

Latest

ConnectedAfrica2025(Day4)-meta-foondamate

Connected Africa 2025 Day 4: FoondaMate and Meta Team Up to Bring AI to Classrooms

May 29, 2025
google-veo-3

Actors and Film Crews Are Worried About Veo 3 Taking Their Jobs

May 29, 2025
iOS 26

Apple Plans Big Rename for iOS and macOS at WWDC 2025

May 29, 2025
University student fined for defamatory Facebook posts

University Student Fined KES 7.5 Million for Defamatory Facebook Posts

May 29, 2025
AI Africa policies database

New Platform Brings All African AI Policies Under One Database

May 28, 2025
POATE 2025

Kenya’s Tourism Sector Grows as Travel Gets Easier Across East Africa

May 28, 2025

Best devices

budget smartwatches 2025

Best Budget Smartwatches To Buy in Kenya 2025

February 13, 2025

Best Infinix Smartphones To Buy in Kenya 2024

February 13, 2025

Best Laptops for Battery Life in 2024

August 21, 2024

Best “Battery Warrior” Smartphones To Buy in 2024

August 22, 2024

Connected Africa 2025 Day 4: FoondaMate and Meta Team Up to Bring AI to Classrooms

May 29, 2025

Actors and Film Crews Are Worried About Veo 3 Taking Their Jobs

May 29, 2025

Techweez is a fast growing influential source of technology news, reviews and analysis by leading tech geeks in the industry.

Follow Us

Editorials

Actors and Film Crews Are Worried About Veo 3 Taking Their Jobs

Samsung QLED TVs Now Officially Certified for Real Quantum Dot Technology

Trump’s Tariffs Will Be the End of Affordable Tech

5 Ways to Prep Your Tech for Resale

The Weaponization of PDFs: How Cybercriminals Are Exploiting a Trusted Format

Introducing A Brainbox Quiz: Techweez’s Monthly Trivia Night!

More News

Researchers Develop Sodium-Ion Battery That Charges to 80% in 6 Minutes

Regulator Fines Stations Using Religious Shows to Push Gambling

Connected Africa 2025 Day 2: Focus on Digital Inclusion & Cybersecurity

iPad Users May Finally Get a Native WhatsApp App

Connected Africa Summit Calls for Unified Tech Vision

Kenya Plans Mega Sale of Safaricom Shares to Raise Over a Billion Dollars

  • Terms Of Use
  • Techweez Brand
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact Us

© 2024 Techweez - Palahala Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites.
A Palahala Media Group Brand. All rights reserved.
.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
Crunchy Cookies 🍪 Ahead!

Hey there! Just a heads-up: we're big fans of cookies - both the digital and edible kind! 🍪 We use our cookies and some from third parties to ensure your browsing experience on our site is smooth sailing and secure.

 

But wait, there's more! We also use cookies to gather stats and insights on how you navigate our site. It's like getting a behind-the-scenes peek at your digital adventures!

 

Don't worry, you're in control. You can adjust your cookie settings anytime to suit your preferences. Feeling curious? Dive into our Privacy Policy for all the juicy details. Happy browsing! 🚀

Functional Always active
Listen, this legal stuff is about as exciting as watching paint dry. But it basically says we only use your stuff for what you asked us to do, and nobody else gets to peek!
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
It's those sneaky cookie crumbs websites leave behind to count visitors, like counting ants at a picnic! Totally harmless, just for fun facts. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
Hey there! Just letting you know we use some fancy gizmos to remember your preferences. This way, we can show you ads that are, well, not completely bananas.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Make cookies
{title} {title} {title}
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
Crunchy Cookies 🍪 Ahead!
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
Listen, this legal stuff is about as exciting as watching paint dry. But it basically says we only use your stuff for what you asked us to do, and nobody else gets to peek!
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
It's those sneaky cookie crumbs websites leave behind to count visitors, like counting ants at a picnic! Totally harmless, just for fun facts. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
Hey there! Just letting you know we use some fancy gizmos to remember your preferences. This way, we can show you ads that are, well, not completely bananas.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Make cookies
{title} {title} {title}
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
  • Automotive
  • Entertainment

© 2024 Techweez - Palahala Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites.
A Palahala Media Group Brand. All rights reserved.
.