With today’s technology, our lives are becoming increasingly automated everyday. But for many of us, manually turning on WiFi or turning off bluetooth is something that we mindlessly do all of the time. Luckily, there is an app for that. It’s called Tasker. This app allows you to automate those pesky everyday phone tasks.
Before I get into what Tasker can do (because the list is practically endless), keep in mind that Tasker’s abilities are solely dependent on what you “program” your phone to do. Now, don’t flip out. You don’t need a programming background to take advantage of these great automations. Just a little desire, determination, and Googling. Lets get into it!
Below you will find our favorite automations. While some of these are easy to set up, others are a bit more complex. Also, to take full advantage of Tasker, I would highly suggest rooting your device, as some of these automations require root access.
Turn on WiFi when Connected to Specific Cell Towers
Tasker has the ability to know which cell towers you are connected to when you are at your house. When connected to those cell towers, you can have Tasker automatically turn on your WiFi, and when you leave the cell towers near your home, your WiFi will automatically turn off. This feature is not just limited to your home WiFi; you can set this up for any area you regularly use WiFi.
Turn off Lock Screen
Some of us take advantage of creating a pass code or some type of lock screen to keep our phones secure. However, is this really necessary while in the comfort of our homes? Tasker can enable you to bypass the lock screen when you connect to specific WiFi networks. So unless you have a sneaky toddler, this is a useful feature while at home.
Mute Phone During Meetings
If you keep your meeting schedule on your phone, Tasker can be utilized to automatically mute your phone during scheduled meeting times. With Tasker you’re 47% less likely to get fired as a result. (Statistic made up on the spot.)
Automatically Send Text Messages
There are a number of Tasks that can be created for sending Text Messages. If you are one that forgets birthdays, this task will be of great value to you. Tasker can send a Happy Birthday text message to anyone in your contact list. What’s even better is that you can set this up months in advance and even set it up to send the message on the same day every year. Just be sure not to mention your automated birthday wishes to your mother and/or wife.
Turn on Car Mode When Connected to Bluetooth
Smartphones and driving do not mix well. There are a number of apps out there that read out text and allow you to respond through voice commands, but it’s difficult to turn on while driving. Instead of having to manually open the app, every time you are connected to your car’s bluetooth, Tasker can automatically open the app for you.
Send Picture of Thief who Stole your Phone
This is an advanced task that can be created. Essentially, when your pass code is entered incorrectly a set number of times, Tasker will take a picture of the potential thief and send it to your email along with the GPS coordinates of the phone. You better run thieves.
These are just a few of our favorite tasks that can be created with Tasker. Again, the sky is the limit with Tasker. If you can think it up, Tasker will most likely be able to automate it. There are numerous resources and ‘how-to’s’ available to help you get acquainted with Tasker. We would suggest starting with the Tasker Wiki, as they provide a great started point for tasks that you can create and step-by-step walk-throughs.
After you have played around with Tasker, let us know what you think. What are some of your favorite tasks? As always, if you have issues, be sure to let us know what they are in the comment section below.