My Android Tablet must be bored. After about 10 minutes of my staring at it, it falls asleep. The display dims, then goes off completely. How can I keep it more interested? How can I keep it awake all the time? There has to be a solution!

Actually, you have two solutions.

The first happens when the tablet is inserted into a docking stand. Most tablets feature a Dock or Docking item in the Settings app. You can use that item to determine the tablet’s behavior while it’s docked. One of the settings may allow you to keep the display from turning off while the tablet is docked.

For tablets without a Dock or Docking item in the Settings app, simply place the tablet into its docking stand. Summon the Notifications shade to look for a Docked icon. Choose that item to see a Settings screen where you can adjust the tablet’s behavior while it’s docked. One of the choices should be to keep the display on all the time.

If you don’t see a display-on type of setting while the tablet is docked, then look for a “nightstand” or “night” setting instead. That setting determines how the tablet can be used as a bedside alarm clock/music station.

And then some tablets may simply stay on automatically whenever they’re docked; you would have no control over that option.

The second solution is to become an Android developer.

Well, not really. What you can do is activate the developer tools on your tablet, which may give you access to a Stay Awake feature.

Open the Settings app. Scroll down to the bottom, and see if you can find a Developer Options item.

For older versions of Android, Developer Options was turned on automatically. Since Android Jelly Bean (versions 4.2 and later), however, this option is hidden. To un-hide it, choose About Tablet (or About Device or About Phone) and tap the Build Number item seven times in a row. After the third time, you’ll see a text that urges you to tap four more times. Do so. Eventually the Developer Options item is revealed.

Activating Developer Options doesn’t make you an Android developer, but it does give you access to some fancy, hidden features: Choose Developer Options in the Settings app. One of the options is Stay Awake. Choose that option; place a check mark by its entry.

The Stay Awake option keeps the tablet (or phone) awake as long as it’s plugged in and charging. The touchscreen won’t time out. You can still manually lock the tablet by pressing the Power Lock key. Otherwise, the device is always bright eyed and bushy tailed.