The: BSOL (Black Screen of Life) - T-Mobile LG G2x

Being a G2X user and experimenting with various custom ROMS; most of us are all to familiar with the so called SOD (Sleep of Death), AKA: BSOD (Black Sleep of Death) or (Black Screen of Death).
Regardless of what we choose to call it...
IT SUCKS.
We want Performance, Reliability, & acceptable Battery Life.
Having a Frozen or Locked-Up G2X(Phone)... JUST PLAIN SUCKS.
So to pay respect to the unpleasant/familiar SOD condition, I've decided to have fun with it.
I would like to introduce to you, what I call...
The: BSOL (Black Screen of Life).
I know a few of you were probably thinking (Bull SH!T Outta Luck) Lol
Anyways Here's the concept...
By stacking some of my favorite applications together & theming them.
I've attained a rather pleasant setup that seems to compliment the G2X's lack of RAM & other quirks and various limitations.
Here's the setup and why.
Feel free to use some or all of my settings. (Some will be based on Personal preference.)
My G2X screen loves to turn on as soon as there is a USB connection.
It's just annoying... this setup minimizes the impact.
Were going all Black... “How much more black could it be... None More Black!!!”
Let's start with the launcher.
-Lightning Launcher
I use it because it is light weight on resources, fast, stable, & highly configurable on my G2X.
Under: Customize Lightning> Current screen> Wallpaper & background>
I unchecked: Display the wallpaper & set Plain Color to... BLACK.
Then do the same for the App drawer.
Now over to the status Bar... cleaner is better so.
Remove the battery strength & all I show is: Data, Signal Bars, & Time.
We will load...
-T.E.A.M. Battery Bar for a Top Bar and change the Automatically Color Settings
I use: Green for Charging, Cyan Blue for Regular, Red for Full, Orange for Medium, & Red for low.
Oh I forgot to mention, I like Black therefore I like ICS themes, I use...
-Ice Cream Sandwich CM7 Theme
Lots of CM7 style ICS blue & black... Yum.
Anyways one of the best things about Lightning Launcher is the Drawer.
It can be infinitely Big, or infinitely small, I kinda use both.
You'll see later, but let me also state from a user standpoint I like Gesture swiping.
So we will set a swipe down to open the app drawer & a swipe up to show/hide the status Bar.
But better yet, Let me introduce some of you to...
-Sidebar Lite/Pro
Anyways by swiping from the edge of your screen, you can Always bring up your favorite apps.
Note: even from another application, without having to return to your launcher.
It's slick & once you try it, I doubt you'll ever want to go without it.
(Think of it similarly to the Ubuntu Mobile phone launcher)
Anyways back to the setup.
I'm right handed, so I set my Lightning Launcher's Swipe right to be:
-Fast Dialer
It's kinda Ugly by default, but once you go into settings & change TEXT=CyanBlue & Button/Backgrounds to Black it looks sick.
YES I too find the ads annoying (and wish the developer would release an ad free version) But...
It can be configured so: I can find & dial a contact in 2 clicks
Caveat: If you have so many contacts that start with the same letter you might have to scroll.
CONFUSION/CONFLICT & CLARIFICATION
Yes, BOTH Sidebar & Fast Dialer are configured to launch when swiping right
But... Swiping from the left edge of your screen (AKA edge-swipe) differs from swiping right from anywhere else.
As I said, “I am Right Handed”... So far we have the following.
-Swiping up= Shows or Hides the status bar
-Top screen Edge-swipe down = Shows Notification bar
(Inside I have my favorite Power widgets & Yes they are CyanBlue too)
But I also changed the carrier name to custom, & Inserted: First & Last-name
(I know that my carrier is WIND but having my name personalizes it even further)
-Left screen Edge-swipe right = Sidebar ALWAYS does (Even from another application)
-Swipe right = Fast Dialer (and I can find contact & dial in 2 clicks)
-Swipe down = Launcher drawer (I typically have mine sized to see every icon I have)
I don't need to read them as I know them by icon but if you need to you can zoom in.
Note: it supports pinch zoom in & out, but by hitting your menu button & then selecting Zoom it will toggle between: Fit ALL & Normal Icon Size.
Oh I almost forgot here's one of my favorites, I use...
-Screen Off and Lock
Then after enabling it, I configure Lightning launcher so that when I double click on any blank Spot
-The screen turns off without having to reach for the power button.
In this case it's basically anywhere on the phone. This adds both convenience & prevents your power button from wearing out prematurely.
Almost done.
Under Tablet tweaks inside CyanogenMod tweaks, I disabled the lock-screen.
(Before you crucify me about how insecure this is... I know the risks, thank you for your concern).
Why...???
After I Push the Power Button, the phone is ON. It's all black or if I kept the status bar displayed...
I can see the time & any new notifications... then I double tap & the screen turns off.
VOILA, VERY, Very Slick.
To Finish the Set-up I use...
-Small Call
Why...???
I hate when I'm doing something on my phone & the dialer snaps to the forefront and kicks me out of what I was doing. This incoming call is usually from someone I don't know or even want to talk to.
Small Call let's me continue what I'm doing & in a more subtle manner choose to accept or Ignore calls.
I have a semitransparent black box near the bottom of my screen where I can read texts & click to respond or ignore. You can even set a default decline action.
Clicking the RED X in the box will close the pop-up box yet leave the mail notification as un-read.
Perfect for an angry wife or girlfriend cause you can show them how you never even checked your message... LOL (Just kidding).
Anyways...
That's my setup, & I Like it... hope some or maybe all of these suggestions can improve your G2X.
Time for some screen shots...
Wish me Luck, as I've never posted any before.

Screen shots
Hope this works...

Related

People running 4.4, what changes have you noticed?

I'm wondering if updating the Droid Maxx and Ultra have given you some of the same features found on Moto Xs running KitKat, such as Moto Skip NFC unlock support, access to updated Motorola apps from the play store, etc.
Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
Small UI changes. Updated to Droid Zap. Wallpaper no longer shifts when you scroll. Most noticeable or odd the gate. Many more small changes behind the scenes that are not very prominent.
Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
The NFC unlock with skip was already part of the November update, IIRC.
The differences that I have noticed:
- when you press the home key while using the stock launcher, it always brings you back to the default home screen, even if the last used home screen was another one. It's almost like you pressed home twice. It's a little annoying.
- if you have two apps that can do something, with nothing set as the default (say, two browsers on the system), the first time a browser link is pressed a list of items is shown, allowing yo to choose one and choose a button that says "Just once" or "Always". That's not new, but what is new is that if you select something and say "Just once", that item will be highlighted the next time you have the same choice.
- there is a full-screen mode for apps that support it. The first time you see it it tells you that you can return to normal with a swipe down from the top.
- if you turn on "tap to focus" in the camera app, there is a new focus/white balance control that you can drag to a focus point and then tap anywhere to take the photo and use that as the focus point (and, as I said, to control exposure/white balance.)
- apparently it supports BT LE devices like the Fitbit, and supports tap to pay for Google Wallet (though I use neither of these so cannot confirm for sure.)
- the status bar remains black and the battery status and time are still blue, with the network icons remaining blue for Google connection and gray for no Google authentication, and they also still show network activity (this is unlike the Moto X.) There is a new location status icon that looks like a white Google Maps place point icon. For some reason the network icons look different to me, but they may be the same.
- there is now an unlabeled icon to clear all notifications in the notification shade, and the settings page icon looks a little different. Also, the settings gear icon looks a little different.
- there is a setting to allow you to set the default messaging app.(settings->more [under "wireless & networks"]->default SMS app)
- there is now a settings->printing setting (I don't think that was there in Jellybean) and I have printed from GMail, Hangouts and Chrome.
There really isn't a whole lot that's different or that looks all that different. (I probably missed some things...)
I only ran JB for a day so I don't really know if this is new, but I've noticed many apps now have the annoying 3-dots menu show up all by itself, occupying as much space as if we had a soft-key nav bar.
Very annoying, wish there was a way to get rid of that.
GnatGoSplat said:
I only ran JB for a day so I don't really know if this is new, but I've noticed many apps now have the annoying 3-dots menu show up all by itself, occupying as much space as if we had a soft-key nav bar.
Very annoying, wish there was a way to get rid of that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Settings...display...use long press for menu
Sent from my KitKat Ultra
Thanks! I never even thought to look there. I'm sooo much happier with it now.
I have an issue where when texting someone and they reply the keyboard disappears. I backup all my stuff and did a factory reset from the recovery menu and it was fine until 2 days ago. I loved JB before this update. The only thing that was better in this update was performance and that's it. There are still a ton of little issues with KitKat vs. JB
Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

Unofficial directory of features/requests for the Verizion HTC M8

This is an unofficial directory for issues/features that we want to see fixed/added via ROMS or software updates. Simply post a request, and if it is appropriate and acceptable it will be added into the directory. This post serves as a place where DEVS can find an issue or feature and can... well... fix it! I plan for most of these to be at least partially exclusive to sense 6 and or the Verizon HTC m8. I will update the directory nightly
GUIDELINES​*The issue must be something that more than one person can relate to.
*The issue cannot pertain to another app. I.E. if an app is crashing too much.
*K.I.S.S Keep it simple stupid.
*Look before you post! I will update the directory and see if it's there. This will save us both some time
*Lastly off-topic posts or typo requests won't bother me the slightest, but just know your boundaries
*Please refrain from things that are basic in custom ROMS . These include but are not limited to navigation bar tweaks, and system ui visual changes
If you see a user post an issue that you know a fix for, give him a hand
DIRECTORY
Solutions
Please remember general UI tweaks can easily be edited with many xposed modules or ROM baked controls
✓ Allow the wake gestures to be used when the device is laying down
Calibrate G sensor poorly intentionally.
✓ Remove unnecessary wifi notifications "wifi network available"
Option in WiFi settings and flashable zip.
✓ Native wifi tethering
Custom ROMS.
✓ Full control over notification bar icons. Nfc, boom sound, etc.
Gravity box, sense 6 toolbox, or viper control.
1/2 Separate lockscreen shortcuts and dock shortcuts
Lock screen shortcuts are based on the sense launcher dock. Using a different launcher allows control between the two.
✓ Custom status bar toggles
Now in stock ROM as well as most custom roms.
*In the quick toggles tiles, make the brightness toggle open a traditional slider
*Remove that friggin 4gLTE icon when wifi is on
*Custom actions for motion launch gestures
*Don't auto wake screen on call end
*Quick toggle/widget for toggling motion launch gestures
*Email widget for stock sense email app
*Charging images for navigation bar
*Modded launcher with customizations such as grid size
*Enable individual motion launch gestures
*More than 10 alarms
*Customization over dot case notifications (may take some adv coding skillz)
*App ops standardized
*Remove 10 incorrect password attempt data wipe.
*More options for auto device sleep/lock
*More sense features ported or modified for aosp use. (This one is a toughie)
wtoj34 said:
DIRECTORY
*Allow the wake gestures to be used when the device is laying down
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is getting annoying for me. The double tap to wake and the slide up to unlock is an amazing feature. But it's almost worthless if we can't use it when the phone is laying down. My phone is on my desk at work most of the day, and it would be great if I could just double tap to see what notification just came in.
I think it has to do with the g-sensor. When I first turned the phone on, the pop up menu said that the unlock gestures only work when the screen is being held in portrait mode. So I'm thinking that when it's laying down, the phone doesn't know exactly what orientation it should be in. I've found that even holding the phone upright just a touch allows the gestures to work fine.
Changing shortcuts of the gestures while the screen is off? For instance, swipe left while screen is off launches 'X' app...
Unlocked wireless tether. Get rid of the various wifi notifications. LED torch quick toggle.
--
Sent from my HTC One M8
When on a call, press power button to turn screen off, when call ends the screen turns back on by itself. Why? Idk but very annoying, only HTC phones do this!
If someone can tweak it to where when in a call the user manually presses the power button to turn screen off, the screen stays off even when the caller or whoever hangs up.
A feature that would be great for me is a quick toggle/widget to toggle the motion launch gestures. I have to go through all the settings menus every time I want to toggle it (which is only when I'm at work). When at work, my phone stays in my pocket, and I am moving around a lot, so sometimes my thigh will unlock the phone and open apps, along with draining my battery.
Changing images for navigation bar.
Sent from my HTC One M8!
U WOT M8?
Just pointing out a few things:
1. As far as the WiFi notification, you can get rid of this by going to Settings > Wi-Fi > Advanced, and de-selecting the "Notify me" option. This is what I did on my previous phone (M7) and my M8, and since de-selecting that box, I've never seen the WiFi notification pop up.
2. The Wake Gestures actually can be used when the phone is laying down. This also annoyed me to no end initially, until I saw someone post that you can just move your phone slightly to make the wake gestures work. I'm assuming this works because it trips the internal movement sensor, which then makes the phone think that it's been picked up. The movement doesn't even have to be vertical; I just slightly move my phone to the side a bit, and it's enough to make the wake gestures work for me.
Email Widget for the native Sense email app...i cannot BELIEVE this was left out by HTC/VZW/whoever...WTF!
I'd like to be able to adjust the grid size of the home screens, 4 across is too spaced out, I like it lining up with 4 icons and app drawer icon at the bottom.
Also, as mentioned in another post, I'd like to be able to customize the keys next to the home key, i.e. move the back key to the right and replace the multitask key with the menu key etc.
ability to hide the standard soft buttons and replace them with LMT style popup buttons.
Ability to toggle individual gestures on and off. I'd like to have double tap to wake, but turn off swipe to wake. I end up waking the device with a swype simply by pulling it out of my pocket which I don't want.
Toggle automatic factory reset on 10 bad unlock attempts on and off or set the number of failed attempts to an arbitrary number.
Able to remove ANY of the always on notificatios. Alarm, keyboard, hearing aid boost, nfc, etc
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using xda app-developers app
I love the "knock on" feature, tho I agree, it would be very nice if it worked even when the phone is laying flat. But why is there no "knock off"? Don't they kinda go hand in hand?
Ability to have more than 10 alarms
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
Slide finger across statusbar to control brightness like Gravitybox (enabling in Gravitybox does not work on our devices).
Ability to display notifications from more than the stock HTC apps when using the Dot Matrix case.
xShin said:
2. The Wake Gestures actually can be used when the phone is laying down. This also annoyed me to no end initially, until I saw someone post that you can just move your phone slightly to make the wake gestures work. I'm assuming this works because it trips the internal movement sensor, which then makes the phone think that it's been picked up. The movement doesn't even have to be vertical; I just slightly move my phone to the side a bit, and it's enough to make the wake gestures work for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have found that tapping the screen 3 times (instead of 2) will usually wake the screen while it is laying on a desk. Just use a little bit of force on the first tap... It seems like an accelerometer needs to detect motion before the screen digitizer wakes up.
This would still be a nice feature request, though I have a feeling it won't be possible without having a significant effect on battery life.
bjamerican said:
I have found that tapping the screen 3 times (instead of 2) will usually wake the screen while it is laying on a desk. Just use a little bit of force on the first tap... It seems like an accelerometer needs to detect motion before the screen digitizer wakes up.
This would still be a nice feature request, though I have a feeling it won't be possible without having a significant effect on battery life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Three taps with the phone laying flat has been working for me as well.
I would love to see a built in data transfer rate in the status bar like Android revolution has for the m7
Sent from my Verizon HTC M8

is Lollipop a step backwards... in some ways it is!!!

Lollipop seems a little quicker and better battery life.
However it seems to me the developers have changed many things just for the sake of it, and many of those old good things are now worse. Many require a lot more clicks to do the same job.
For example, the pull down status bar quick settings isnt as good and isnt customisable like it used to be. and many features are no longer intuitive to open or access them.
Changing txt size in messaging simply by using volume up or down was convienient.
The camera is not as easy to use. Beforehand the video and the photo button were on the main camera screen so you could instantly select one or the other to quickly take a photo or a video. Now you must swipe the screen and then select the video or the camera option and then when the screen refreshes you can then click the button to start recording to take the photo. That can litterally add 5 seconds to the time it takes to get a video going plus you need to concentrate on the camera screen to get the process correct, so you are late capturing the action and cant watch what was going on with whatever it was you wanted to video or take a shot of.
The camera settings are not as customisable as it used to be either and currently you cant even select to store in the external sd card
Phoning and txting is not as easy or simple as it used to be. Eg, in "recents" you used to be able to swipe right to call a contact and swipe left to text. Now to call you tap on them. then have to tap it again to select to call them. And if you want to text you need to tap on the icon next to the name or number and it opens the contact, then you need to select the message icon to txt them. Friggen stupid!
What else am I missing here??? Im probably being a bit picky... but why make it worse!
scott2ride said:
Lollipop seems a little quicker and better battery life.
However it seems to me the developers have changed many things just for the sake of it, and many of those old good things are now worse. Many require a lot more clicks to do the same job.
For example, the pull down status bar quick settings isnt as good and isnt customisable like it used to be. and many features are no longer intuitive to open or access them.
Changing txt size in messaging simply by using volume up or down was convienient.
The camera is not as easy to use. Beforehand the video and the photo button were on the main camera screen so you could instantly select one or the other to quickly take a photo or a video. Now you must swipe the screen and then select the video or the camera option and then when the screen refreshes you can then click the button to start recording to take the photo. That can litterally add 5 seconds to the time it takes to get a video going plus you need to concentrate on the camera screen to get the process correct, so you are late capturing the action and cant watch what was going on with whatever it was you wanted to video or take a shot of.
The camera settings are not as customisable as it used to be either and currently you cant even select to store in the external sd card
Phoning and txting is not as easy or simple as it used to be. Eg, in "recents" you used to be able to swipe right to call a contact and swipe left to text. Now to call you tap on them. then have to tap it again to select to call them. And if you want to text you need to tap on the icon next to the name or number and it opens the contact, then you need to select the message icon to txt them. Friggen stupid!
What else am I missing here??? Im probably being a bit picky... but why make it worse!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lolipop Touchwiz or Stock Android ?
I think u r talking about Touchwiz am i right?
If that's the case.
They actually improved performance. (because of art actually) i also actually like the design of Lolipop touchwiz, making it more lively. but it depends on the people. i dont really care about the old setting. i only care battery and performance.
as i am a 9505 user, i cannot really tell the difference between 4.4.2 KK and 5.0.1 Lollipop Touchwiz as i only tested the LEAK version of it.
I think he's talking about GPE roms. As I'm sure that touchwiz lollipop ui looks a lot like kitkat ui of the s5.
If you do a google image search for touchwiz lollipop you will see that there isn't much difference in the ui except for the looks and a few small aditions.
The OnePlus One camera app, that comes as a choice when you install Danvdh's GPE rom, has the photo and video button on the main screen. Also has the option to change save location.
The CM messenger app, that also comes as a choice in Danvdh's GPE rom and comes stock on CM roms, has the ability to pinch zoom in or out.
I don't know how the kitkat GPE roms were.
But I agree with some of what he said. Activating mobile data isn't as simple as pulling down the status bar and tapping on the icon. Now you have to pull it down, tap the icon and then tap the small dot to turn it on.
And when you restrict background there is a stupid persistent notification. So you'll have to restrict background data on a per app basis to not have that notification. This is not really convenient.
Then the battery saver mode turns the status bar orange. Why would it do that? There is another stupid persistent notification telling me that battery saver is on. I don't need a orange status bar. And I doubt that orange is more battery friendly than black.
GDReaper said:
I think he's talking about GPE roms. As I'm sure that touchwiz lollipop ui looks a lot like kitkat ui of the s5.
If you do a google image search for touchwiz lollipop you will see that there isn't much difference in the ui except for the looks and a few small aditions.
The OnePlus One camera app, that comes as a choice when you install Danvdh's GPE rom, has the photo and video button on the main screen. Also has the option to change save location.
The CM messenger app, that also comes as a choice in Danvdh's GPE rom and comes stock on CM roms, has the ability to pinch zoom in or out.
I don't know how the kitkat GPE roms were.
But I agree with some of what he said. Activating mobile data isn't as simple as pulling down the status bar and tapping on the icon. Now you have to pull it down, tap the icon and then tap the small dot to turn it on.
And when you restrict background there is a stupid persistent notification. So you'll have to restrict background data on a per app basis to not have that notification. This is not really convenient.
Then the battery saver mode turns the status bar orange. Why would it do that? There is another stupid persistent notification telling me that battery saver is on. I don't need a orange status bar. And I doubt that orange is more battery friendly than black.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well i couldn't swipe from the right to make phone calls or swipe left to text someone in recents.... (Or i just didn't noticed it....which also i know that feature is in touchwiz)
But the thing is that KK was more easier to use specially on GpE or CM based roms, and a lot faster specially carbon rom. (That's for me) and save more battery because of the Holo Dark theme.
But as i said. I like the Design of lolipop, so i'm going to stick with it. I'm on Cm12 right now where i dont need to press Twice on the wifi to turn it on,just the icon. But data turning is the same.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Free mobile app

Galaxy s4 tips and tricks: Get the most out of lollipop

GALAXY S4 TIPS AND TRICKS: GET THE MOST OUT OF LOLLIPOP
Ever since the Galaxy S4 got the Lollipop update, the old beast has been chugging along just fine. We're so fond of the S4 that we thought we'd share our ultimate list of Galaxy S4 tips and tricks, specifically for the Lollipop update. The Galaxy S4 is still a great phone, but read on to see just how much greater you can make it.
1. Disable S Voice for faster navigation
S Voice can be launched by double-pressing the S4's home key. This shortcut actually slows down the home key response, however, because TouchWiz pauses momentarily after the first press, waiting to see if you press it a second time, before taking you to the home screen. Go to S Voice, press the menu soft key, select Settings and uncheck the box next to Open via the Home Key to make home key navigation faster.
2. Turn off annoying Samsung sounds
While you're at it, why not turn off some of those annoying Samsung sounds? Even if you like them I can assure you that everyone on the train, at work and in the supermarket hates them. To do the world a favor, go to Settings > My Device > Sounds and Notifications > Other Sounds and un-check the boxes for as many sounds as you can live without.
3. Use shortcuts to call or message contacts
Why use messy menu buttons when a gesture will suffice? In your contacts list you can simply swipe a contact's name to the left or right to instantly call or message them. Now you can stay in touch more easily and save time while you're doing it.
4. Access the Galaxy S4's hidden settings
There's a great app called Note 2 Hidden Settings that also works with other Galaxy devices, including the S4. It won't work with some carrier-branded models, but it's worth installing it and giving it a shot because there's heaps of cool stuff in this app.
5. Secure your lock screen notifications
Lollipop comes with lock screen notifications meaning you don't have to completely unlock your phone just to read a text or email. But perhaps you don't feel comfortable having the contents of your notifications plastered all over your lock screen for anyone see. If so, go to Settings > My Device > Sounds and Notifications. You can select which apps will display content on the lock screen in Application notifications and the level of content in While locked.
6. Use your phone to control the TV
Download the WatchOn app and use it to set up your TV guide, favorite channels, control your TV, set-top box and plenty more. You can even put it on your lock screen or the notifications shade to make sure you're always the couch commando in charge.
7. Use your voice for hands-free control
Did you know your S4 has lots of voice control options? You can use your voice to turn off alarms, take photos, play music and answer or reject calls. Just go to Settings > My Device > Voice Control and flip the switches for the commands you want to use. You can also use S Voice to set reminders or check the weather.
8. Get a better launcher
If TouchWiz feels a little slow to you, why not replace with a faster launcher such as Google Now Launcher, Nova Launcher or Action launcher? Give them a try – they're free and you can always switch back if you want to.
9. Make your own Qi wireless charger
If you want the wireless charging experience that the Galaxy S6 offers, without needing to fork out a fortune to actually get an S6, why not buy a wireless charging pack? All you need to do then is take the back off your phone and align the tab as instructed in the packaging, before replacing the phone's back panel.
10. Activate Smart stay
Smart stay uses your phone's front-facing camera to detect whether you're looking at the screen or not, and makes sure that the screen remains on for as long as you look at it. This is great if you want to have a short screen timeout but also do a lot of reading on your phone.
To activate Smart stay, go to Settings > My device > Smart screen and press Smart stay.
11. Customize your lock screen
Don't settle for a boring old lock screen, add a camera and dialer shortcut, select a clock or private message and give it some pizzazz with a custom wallpaper. Go to Settings > My Device > Lock Screen and check the box for camera, then customize your lock screen widgets.
12. Customize your Quick Settings
Why settle for the standard Quick Settings when you can curate a custom batch of the most useful toggles and switches for the way you use your phone? You can even arrange them exactly how you like. Swipe down from the top of the screen, tap the little grid in the top right corner and then the little pencil to edit and rearrange your Quick Settings.
13. Make the keyboard smarter
If you're using the stock Samsung keyboard, make sure you have both predictive text and swipe typing enabled.You'll be amazed at how much time they can save you. Go to the keyboard and long press the button to the left of the space bar. Tap the Settings cog and make sure Predictive Text is on and that Keyboard Swipe is set to Continuous Input. You could also replace the keyboard with SwiftKey or another keyboard app.
14. Use Do Not Disturb mode
Another great Lollipop feature is Priority Notifications, which is also known as Do Not Disturb mode. It lets you set times where you won't be interrupted by any but the most critical notifications or alarms. You can keep calls from your family and boss on the white list, set days and times of the week and choose between calls, messages and calendar reminders. Go to Settings > My Device > Sounds and Notifications > Interruptions and get busy.
15. Supercharge your camera
Install the Samsung Smart Camera app and connect your phone to your camera with NFC to trasfer photo faster, use your phone as a remote viewfinder (hello, selfie sticks) and more. Best of all, your camera will automatically connect to your phone when it's on.
16. Always get the best display
One of the best things about Samsung displays is that they adapt to different conditions, so you always get the best possible viewing experience, whether you're reading, looking at photos or watching a movie. Just got to Settings > My Device > Display > Screen Mode and choose Adapt Display or check out the other options.
17. Try the floating keyboard
Your keyboard isn't actually locked to the bottom of the screen. Depending on what you're doing, a smaller, floating keyboard might be more suitable. Go to the keyboard, long press the button to the left of the space bar and tap the tile with the two overlapping boxes. Your keyboard will shrink a little and be movable.
18. Save battery with smarter Wi-Fi
If you have your Wi-Fi set to disconnect whenever the screen is off, you might think you're saving battery. That's not the case. Most of us turn our screen on an average of 150 times a day, so keeping Wi-Fi connected is actually better than having it turn off and on and search for connections every time. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the soft menu key and then Advanced and set Keep Wi-Fi on During Sleep to Always.
19. Fix bugs in Safe Mode
If your Galaxy S4 is acting strangely, you might want to restart it in Safe mode until you solve the problem. To do so, simply turn your S4 off and then back on again. As soon as you see the Samsung screen, press and hold the volume down key and you will see that many apps have been disabled when it boots up. To get out of safe mode, just turn your phone off and back on again.
20. Make things simpler with Easy Mode
If you're a bit bamboozled by all the Samsung widgets and doodads in TouchWiz, give Easy Mode a shot. It'll clear things up, so you only see the most important stuff, as well as enlarge icons and make everything easier to manage and navigate. Go to Settings > My Device > Easy Mode to make the switch.
22. Always get the best photo
Let's face it, not all of us are Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers. So when a moment really maters, why not shoot a burst of pics and have your S4 choose the best one for you? Just open the camera app, tap Mode and Best Photo. Hold down the shutter to shoot a bunch of pis and let your phone choose the best one automatically.
23. Get better battery life
The Galaxy S4 doesn't have the stock Android Lollipop Battery Saver mode but it does have Samsung's Power Saver Mode. Go to Settings > My Device > Power Saving Mode and flip the switch to enable it. It works by disabling certain functions in order to conserve battery life. You can choose which functions these are in the settings.
25. Make security smarter
Why would you want to unlock your phone with a PIN or pattern when you're at home where (I hope) you can trust everyone? That's where Lollipop's cool Smart Lock feature comes in. You can save the trouble of unlocking your phone in certain places by adding a trusted face or voice, or a smartwatch or other trusted device.
26. Make Chrome easier and better
Chrome on Lollipop is a little annoying. By default your Chrome tabs will live individually in your recent apps list (accessed by long pressing the home button). If you prefer the old way – all your tabs contained in Chrome itself – go to Chrome, tap the three dots in the top right-hand corner, select Settings and turn off Merge Tabs and Apps
Press the thanks button if I helped you!
Any problems? Ask me!
munimjaffer said:
GALAXY S4 TIPS AND TRICKS: GET THE MOST OUT OF LOLLIPOP
Ever since the Galaxy S4 got the Lollipop update, the old beast has been chugging along just fine. We're so fond of the S4 that we thought we'd share our ultimate list of Galaxy S4 tips and tricks, specifically for the Lollipop update. The Galaxy S4 is still a great phone, but read on to see just how much greater you can make it.
1. Disable S Voice for faster navigation
S Voice can be launched by double-pressing the S4's home key. This shortcut actually slows down the home key response, however, because TouchWiz pauses momentarily after the first press, waiting to see if you press it a second time, before taking you to the home screen. Go to S Voice, press the menu soft key, select Settings and uncheck the box next to Open via the Home Key to make home key navigation faster.
2. Turn off annoying Samsung sounds
While you're at it, why not turn off some of those annoying Samsung sounds? Even if you like them I can assure you that everyone on the train, at work and in the supermarket hates them. To do the world a favor, go to Settings > My Device > Sounds and Notifications > Other Sounds and un-check the boxes for as many sounds as you can live without.
3. Use shortcuts to call or message contacts
Why use messy menu buttons when a gesture will suffice? In your contacts list you can simply swipe a contact's name to the left or right to instantly call or message them. Now you can stay in touch more easily and save time while you're doing it.
4. Access the Galaxy S4's hidden settings
There's a great app called Note 2 Hidden Settings that also works with other Galaxy devices, including the S4. It won't work with some carrier-branded models, but it's worth installing it and giving it a shot because there's heaps of cool stuff in this app.
5. Secure your lock screen notifications
Lollipop comes with lock screen notifications meaning you don't have to completely unlock your phone just to read a text or email. But perhaps you don't feel comfortable having the contents of your notifications plastered all over your lock screen for anyone see. If so, go to Settings > My Device > Sounds and Notifications. You can select which apps will display content on the lock screen in Application notifications and the level of content in While locked.
6. Use your phone to control the TV
Download the WatchOn app and use it to set up your TV guide, favorite channels, control your TV, set-top box and plenty more. You can even put it on your lock screen or the notifications shade to make sure you're always the couch commando in charge.
7. Use your voice for hands-free control
Did you know your S4 has lots of voice control options? You can use your voice to turn off alarms, take photos, play music and answer or reject calls. Just go to Settings > My Device > Voice Control and flip the switches for the commands you want to use. You can also use S Voice to set reminders or check the weather.
8. Get a better launcher
If TouchWiz feels a little slow to you, why not replace with a faster launcher such as Google Now Launcher, Nova Launcher or Action launcher? Give them a try – they're free and you can always switch back if you want to.
9. Make your own Qi wireless charger
If you want the wireless charging experience that the Galaxy S6 offers, without needing to fork out a fortune to actually get an S6, why not buy a wireless charging pack? All you need to do then is take the back off your phone and align the tab as instructed in the packaging, before replacing the phone's back panel.
10. Activate Smart stay
Smart stay uses your phone's front-facing camera to detect whether you're looking at the screen or not, and makes sure that the screen remains on for as long as you look at it. This is great if you want to have a short screen timeout but also do a lot of reading on your phone.
To activate Smart stay, go to Settings > My device > Smart screen and press Smart stay.
11. Customize your lock screen
Don't settle for a boring old lock screen, add a camera and dialer shortcut, select a clock or private message and give it some pizzazz with a custom wallpaper. Go to Settings > My Device > Lock Screen and check the box for camera, then customize your lock screen widgets.
12. Customize your Quick Settings
Why settle for the standard Quick Settings when you can curate a custom batch of the most useful toggles and switches for the way you use your phone? You can even arrange them exactly how you like. Swipe down from the top of the screen, tap the little grid in the top right corner and then the little pencil to edit and rearrange your Quick Settings.
13. Make the keyboard smarter
If you're using the stock Samsung keyboard, make sure you have both predictive text and swipe typing enabled.You'll be amazed at how much time they can save you. Go to the keyboard and long press the button to the left of the space bar. Tap the Settings cog and make sure Predictive Text is on and that Keyboard Swipe is set to Continuous Input. You could also replace the keyboard with SwiftKey or another keyboard app.
14. Use Do Not Disturb mode
Another great Lollipop feature is Priority Notifications, which is also known as Do Not Disturb mode. It lets you set times where you won't be interrupted by any but the most critical notifications or alarms. You can keep calls from your family and boss on the white list, set days and times of the week and choose between calls, messages and calendar reminders. Go to Settings > My Device > Sounds and Notifications > Interruptions and get busy.
15. Supercharge your camera
Install the Samsung Smart Camera app and connect your phone to your camera with NFC to trasfer photo faster, use your phone as a remote viewfinder (hello, selfie sticks) and more. Best of all, your camera will automatically connect to your phone when it's on.
16. Always get the best display
One of the best things about Samsung displays is that they adapt to different conditions, so you always get the best possible viewing experience, whether you're reading, looking at photos or watching a movie. Just got to Settings > My Device > Display > Screen Mode and choose Adapt Display or check out the other options.
17. Try the floating keyboard
Your keyboard isn't actually locked to the bottom of the screen. Depending on what you're doing, a smaller, floating keyboard might be more suitable. Go to the keyboard, long press the button to the left of the space bar and tap the tile with the two overlapping boxes. Your keyboard will shrink a little and be movable.
18. Save battery with smarter Wi-Fi
If you have your Wi-Fi set to disconnect whenever the screen is off, you might think you're saving battery. That's not the case. Most of us turn our screen on an average of 150 times a day, so keeping Wi-Fi connected is actually better than having it turn off and on and search for connections every time. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the soft menu key and then Advanced and set Keep Wi-Fi on During Sleep to Always.
19. Fix bugs in Safe Mode
If your Galaxy S4 is acting strangely, you might want to restart it in Safe mode until you solve the problem. To do so, simply turn your S4 off and then back on again. As soon as you see the Samsung screen, press and hold the volume down key and you will see that many apps have been disabled when it boots up. To get out of safe mode, just turn your phone off and back on again.
20. Make things simpler with Easy Mode
If you're a bit bamboozled by all the Samsung widgets and doodads in TouchWiz, give Easy Mode a shot. It'll clear things up, so you only see the most important stuff, as well as enlarge icons and make everything easier to manage and navigate. Go to Settings > My Device > Easy Mode to make the switch.
22. Always get the best photo
Let's face it, not all of us are Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers. So when a moment really maters, why not shoot a burst of pics and have your S4 choose the best one for you? Just open the camera app, tap Mode and Best Photo. Hold down the shutter to shoot a bunch of pis and let your phone choose the best one automatically.
23. Get better battery life
The Galaxy S4 doesn't have the stock Android Lollipop Battery Saver mode but it does have Samsung's Power Saver Mode. Go to Settings > My Device > Power Saving Mode and flip the switch to enable it. It works by disabling certain functions in order to conserve battery life. You can choose which functions these are in the settings.
25. Make security smarter
Why would you want to unlock your phone with a PIN or pattern when you're at home where (I hope) you can trust everyone? That's where Lollipop's cool Smart Lock feature comes in. You can save the trouble of unlocking your phone in certain places by adding a trusted face or voice, or a smartwatch or other trusted device.
26. Make Chrome easier and better
Chrome on Lollipop is a little annoying. By default your Chrome tabs will live individually in your recent apps list (accessed by long pressing the home button). If you prefer the old way – all your tabs contained in Chrome itself – go to Chrome, tap the three dots in the top right-hand corner, select Settings and turn off Merge Tabs and Apps
Press the thanks button if I helped you!
Any problems? Ask me!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am assuming that you DO have the permission of Kris Carlon, and you are NOT stealing his work and intellectual property rights by just copying and pasting the content of his article on Android Pit?
If not: do you know that piracy, like the copyrights violation, is not allowed on XDA?
Thread closed as a direct copy of someone else's work.

What is your first impressions on the Official Android 9 Pie?

So its been 7 days since I updated my Galaxy S9 + to the official Android 9 Pie. I am loving it overall. I think moving the UI elements to the bottom was a nice touch, leaning towards one hand operation. I panicked at first seeing all that wasted space but once you scroll down, it returns to normal. Love the Dark mode but not fond of the quick panel icons, no big deal. So far i had notice these bugs or feature omissions:
• No inertia scrolling in recent Apps (no rubber band effect). Scrolling is just one at a time.
• Some animation Jittering and Stuttering in the UI but less frequent now as the OS settled.
• The options when you click the middle of the divider in split screen view is not working/showing up.
• Good lock Apps stopped working except One Hand Operation
• Good Lock One hand operation is miles better IMO than the new gesture system, even better than the stock pie gestures and Apple gestures. Why don't they just bake One hand operation into the system is beyond me. But at least we can hide the nav bar natively now. One hand operation can co-exist with default gestures without affecting each other.
• Finder seems slow in Pie than in Oreo. It doesn't show the most recent search (by showing the app icons) i made and often requires me to tap twice the name of the app then another selection of related things about that app and that is where the icon will appear. Multiple taps instead of one.
• Dolby Atmos for games seems missing
• Swiping down in the homescreen to show notifications Panel needs a long swipe down as oppose to before needs only a small swipe down.
• Gallery - some very high resolution photos are not displayed properly. You can see jagged/rough lines all through out. But when you set the photo into wallpaper, homescreen shows the same photos correctly.
• Samsung Internet - PiP button is gone and couldn't find it anymore even in settings.
• Keyboard - when gestures are on (nav bar is hidden) and keyboard is showing there is a large gap at the bottom as if the nav bar is still there
• Network name overlaps with notification settings in the notifications panel if you have many notifications.
call_of_ktulu25 said:
So its been 7 days since I updated my Galaxy S9 + to the official Android 9 Pie. I am loving it overall. I think moving the UI elements to the bottom was a nice touch, leaning towards one hand operation. I panicked at first seeing all that wasted space but once you scroll down, it returns to normal. Love the Dark mode but not fond of the quick panel icons, no big deal. So far i had notice these bugs or feature omissions:
• No inertia scrolling in recent Apps (no rubber band effect). Scrolling is just one at a time.
• Some animation Jittering and Stuttering in the UI but less frequent now as the OS settled.
• The options when you click the middle of the divider in split screen view is not working/showing up.
• Good lock Apps stopped working except One Hand Operation
• Good Lock One hand operation is miles better IMO than the new gesture system, even better than the stock pie gestures and Apple gestures. Why don't they just bake One hand operation into the system is beyond me. But at least we can hide the nav bar natively now. One hand operation can co-exist with default gestures without affecting each other.
• Finder seems slow in Pie than in Oreo. It doesn't show the most recent search (by showing the app icons) i made and often requires me to tap twice the name of the app then another selection of related things about that app and that is where the icon will appear. Multiple taps instead of one.
• Dolby Atmos for games seems missing
• Swiping down in the homescreen to show notifications Panel needs a long swipe down as oppose to before needs only a small swipe down.
• Gallery - some very high resolution photos are not displayed properly. You can see jagged/rough lines all through out. But when you set the photo into wallpaper, homescreen shows the same photos correctly.
• Samsung Internet - PiP button is gone and couldn't find it anymore even in settings.
• Keyboard - when gestures are on (nav bar is hidden) and keyboard is showing there is a large gap at the bottom as if the nav bar is still there
• Network name overlaps with notification settings in the notifications panel if you have many notifications.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Scrolling between recents doesn't stop at each app in recents on the k list recent C builds.
2. Don't atmos for games was reported as being somewhere different. I don't use it so I'm not sure where.
3. The keyboard gap is intentional. It's too help avoid hitting home when using space bar. If you use swiftkey there is no gap. I got home often when not intending to when using space bar.
4. Nav Gestures are appreciated here. No reason for something new when bar / gestures are fine. It's nice there's another option, but no reason it should be default IMHO.
todd3835 said:
1. Scrolling between recents doesn't stop at each app in recents on the k list recent C builds.
2. Don't atmos for games was reported as being somewhere different. I don't use it so I'm not sure where.
3. The keyboard gap is intentional. It's too help avoid hitting home when using space bar. If you use swiftkey there is no gap. I got home often when not intending to when using space bar.
4. Nav Gestures are appreciated here. No reason for something new when bar / gestures are fine. It's nice there's another option, but no reason it should be default IMHO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. How about in yours? So looks like it was not implemented in the official and not just me.
2. I set atmos to auto so i guess it automatically set it for games, movies, and music, etc. But no option for games only. It is in Sounds and Vibration>Advanced Sound Settings>Sound Quality and Effects
3. Ok
4. Ok to each their own. One Hand Operation + was released since June 2018 along with other Good lock Apps so its not really new. It gives us a taste of the upcoming Pie update. And as it name says, it allows you to use the left and right edges for gestures in one hand. Try to reach the nav bar and do the new default gestures with your thumb with one hand and you'll know what I mean.
call_of_ktulu25 said:
1. How about in yours? So looks like it was not implemented in the official and not just me.
2. I set atmos to auto so i guess it automatically set it for games, movies, and music, etc. But no option for games only. It is in Sounds and Vibration>Advanced Sound Settings>Sound Quality and Effects
3. Ok
4. Ok to each their own. One Hand Operation + was released since June 2018 along with other Good lock Apps so its not really new. It gives us a taste of the upcoming Pie update. And as it name says, it allows you to use the left and right edges for gestures in one hand. Try to reach the nav bar and do the new default gestures with your thumb with one hand and you'll know what I mean.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Yes, in the Z build I used it would stop at each app. I hated it. On CSA3 it works like in oreo.
2. I'm not sure where I read it, but there was something specific about Dolby for gaming mode being hidden off somewhere else. I didn't put much thought into it since I don't game. Could have even been in the pie thread for the 965F.
4. I do occasionally have a problem reaching that one button with my thumb in one handed mode. I've gotten used to it to be honest. The S9+ isn't the biggest device I've owned. The v20 and Nexus 6 were bigger.
That said, I can see the value in more one handed items. Choice is definitely a good thing. I'm just happy with the current implementation.
On the flip side, Samsung (and others) are always out to take more market share. I think they are seeing the error made by Apple. You can't raise prices and force unwanted changes on customers. Sticking with a more established bar / gestures would be the way I'd go. When you try to get new users, you want to give them something fairly familiar.
Just my opinion though.....
Its terrible IMO. Probably the worst implementation of Pie. Samsung went from having the best skin to the worst now.
After Factory Reset
Deal Breakers :-
1:- Recents animation is worse than 200$ phone. When u are inside an app and press or trigger recents menu. It glitches and lags like everytime. Its only smooth when u are in the homescreen.
2:- Device Care Stuck at 95% for a long time before it shows status.
3:- Launcher sometimes lags when scrolling between pages.
4:- Scrolling lag in apps like reddit and playstore. Oreo scrolling was smooth.
Lag is the major issue in pie however IMO the icons are literally the worst now too. Experience Ui icons were 100x better.
It's good. It's fixed my bluetooth latency issue.
Does anyone have problem with Samsung Cloud failing to sync?
_Usama_ said:
Its terrible IMO. Probably the worst implementation of Pie. Samsung went from having the best skin to the worst now.
After Factory Reset
Deal Breakers :-
1:- Recents animation is worse than 200$ phone. When u are inside an app and press or trigger recents menu. It glitches and lags like everytime. Its only smooth when u are in the homescreen.
2:- Device Care Stuck at 95% for a long time before it shows status.
3:- Launcher sometimes lags when scrolling between pages.
4:- Scrolling lag in apps like reddit and playstore. Oreo scrolling was smooth.
Lag is the major issue in pie however IMO the icons are literally the worst now too. Experience Ui icons were 100x better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't factory reset, but that was the most annoying the recents scrolling. Animations in almost everywhere were lagging but as the OS settled and after a few reboots, its fluid 98% of the time. But still, i missed oreo due to its fluidity and icons and quick panel icons. No issues with device care.
Plugging in charger sound/volume is annoying. Was better/more subtle on Oreo.
So far so good despite the jitters on my BT phone (Sennheiser 4.50), if I use with wires, no problems at all... of if I use with another BT phone like Anker, no problems too.
djoxie said:
Does anyone have problem with Samsung Cloud failing to sync?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That happened to me and i had to sign out of my account and back in
Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
Well... I am thinking of going back to Oreo acually..
1.Hangs, reboots
2.Stock launcher has this huge space underneath icons even with gestures on, same space thing on stock keyboard(using gboard removes it on keyboard)
3.My games dont launch like they did on Oreo
4.Notifications are messed up, constant connect/disconnect on my gear 3, even when turned of they show sometimes.
Maybe Goodlock 2019 will keep me on 9... but atm im very tempted to go back to 8.0 :/
For me, the One UI is great. But I don't like, that they removed the Audio Source in the USB-Settings.
When using DEX Pad the screen of the phone remains on until it times out and turns off. But when clicking on a text input field the screen turns on again. DEX is still missing a lot of functionality like widgets and direct dial shortcuts for example.
Video call audio issues
while onj video call in IMO the audio seems to be broken and blurry sound is heard
I love it aside from game launcher going MIA, thought it was just a beta thing but guess not
Found out it's more AT&T BS
Has anyone noticed the volume is so much quieter now? Looking for solutions. I'm not hard of hearing but I can barely hear my sounds anymore. That is a HUGE deal breaker for me, even tho there are some things I'm liking. Plus good Lock. Used that daily, multiple times a day. Now I have to remember to turn off wifi and turn on Bluetooth and vice versa multiple times a day to keep my battery in check. PITA. But that is negligible to the volume issue.
I´m pleased with OneUI... however, I really hate the fact that I cant turn of adaptive icons in Pie/OneUI. The third party apps get the worst loocking icons ever...
Manneman32 said:
I´m pleased with OneUI... however, I really hate the fact that I cant turn of adaptive icons in Pie/OneUI. The third party apps get the worst loocking icons ever...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Switched to my paid version of Nova for that reason. Plus now I have double tap to turn off the screen. Missed that feature from LG.
pre4speed said:
Switched to my paid version of Nova for that reason. Plus now I have double tap to turn off the screen. Missed that feature from LG.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I installed Nova Premium at first, but when I changed icontheme Nova started to randomly change size of the icons. Even if I changed it back two hours later it got a different size. Not all icons, just random ones.

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