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Mods - If this doesn't belong here I do apologize, this is such a random topic I really did not know the most appropriate place to post...
also I do apologize if there is a similar post like this, but I did search and did not see anything related yet...
Back story
I was having dinner with my lovely wife at an Indian restaurant, and as I usually do I was carrying my messenger bag with me.
Long story short, left the restaurant without my bag.
I was determined to find a solution to this problem so it does not happen again.
I think I have found a simple and elegant and almost free / CHEAP solution and I wanted to share with the community that has provided me so much useful knowledge.
The 2 different approaches and the pros and cons of them...
First of all, after hours of searching, I decided the 2 best suited Android apps were:
Bluetooth Alert and Blue Unity
The original idea was to use a cheap $10 or less bluetooth headset, toss it in my bag
Once I walk out of range of my bag, the bluetooth signal will drop and the android app will alert me
Bluetooth Alert works by connection and Blue Unity works by proximity
Both will alert you once you are so far away that a bluetooth signal for the device can no longer be seen.
Problem 1:
The problem I had with the original idea is that the headset once paired and connected would take over my calls.
I didn't want that.
Problem 2:
And when I pair but not connect, then there is the issue of the device going to sleep.
Once the device goes to sleep it sets the alarms off. I didn't want any false alarms either.
Problem 3:
Turns out the free motorola headset I found has a long long range, while most people would not think this is much of
an issue, we usually park close to the restaurant, so that means we would be half way down the block before I get an alert.
So there is a possible theft issue that could occur before bag recovery.
I ended up using a Bluetooth Keyboard and pairing and connecting it to my LG Optimus.
1. It has a short range (maybe 20 feet or less)
2. It does not take over my calls.
3. It has a very decent standby mode giving me plenty of time to do lunch or run errands out
So far this solution seems to test out well. I hope this saves someone from loosing their property one day.
Other bluetooth devices may work even better, such as those bracelets that alert you when you have an incoming call
or other devices. You guys will have to experiment and post back.
If you find a better method/app/device combo please let me know!
Cheers,
dtmf
October Edition just arrived, 6 months late, but it did arrive and it did work (albeit with the additional Cradle not in the box)
Charged, set up email to send myself the Google Play apk; double clicked it and everything worked fine. Activated my Android and all working well.
Downloaded some apps, inc spotify and mapmyrun. Added a sim card and sd card - not well designed really. The galaxy s5 shows how simple it is to do and retain waterproofing. The Omate, with tiny fiddly screws, rubber bits, non symetrical cover etc was something I hope not to have to do again; which renders my spare battery a bit pointless. I was expecting to pop off the back and swap a drained battery for a charged one, as I can do on a mobile.
However, with battery at 67% went for a 1 hour run and with GPS, Wifi, Data and Bluetooth active (music to BT Headphones and running data being tracked) battery only went down 20% - impressive! and confirmed I can give up the GPS watch...
All good, but definitely some sticking points. Wifi at one point wouldn't re-activate, without a long reboot. The keyboard can drive you insane, especially entering masked passwords - the keyboard can be supersensitive and fire off several characters at once by accident, so you have to start again. The 'show passwords' option doesn't always work.
The navigation seems awkward and inconsistent - i wish there was a back button, the swipe left often triggers an option or menu unintentionally so you have to go back twice and when the same thing happens again, it's not long before you give up and press the home button...
Maybe it's just some getting used to - day 1 and all that!
Overall this is an incredible piece of tech and will be a big benefit to my lifestyle. It requires a change of thinking I suspect, but one that is welcome, so overall I am very pleased with the first impression.
I think the answer to your question about whether you have day 1 frustrations is: yes and no.
I put on Lokifish's latest ROM and did a few other tweaks (principally Daniel Ortiz's recommended GPS fix) and then started from there. I played with the out-of-the-box version for a total of two minutes before I became monumentally frustrated with the sensitivity of the touch screen, and the keyboard seemed to trigger letters even when I was just hovering over the screen trying to make a more accurate 'tap'. Maybe it was placebo effect but the Lokifish ROM seemed to be better calibrated, though I still avoid using the keyboard for anything other than tapping in passwords to get accounts setup.
The first app that gave me an inkling that the TS is a 'keeper' is Runkeeper. (pun!) I'm actually not so much of a runner, but I use Runkeeper on my main device to track my cycling and I log my circuit and swim training data on the web which integrates across the other apps I use to collect and manage fitness data (Withings Body Analyzer, Myfitnesspal, Fitbit). The thought of being able to dispense with multiple tracking apps/devices and perhaps even leaving the big phone at home (the Z1s doesn't have the brightest screen anyway) was one of the main draws of the TrueSmart. But the real 'killer app' feature for me was the ability to use this TrueSmart as an 'all day wearer' *and* have it work in-water to capture swim data. But After six months of waiting (like you) and seeing the not-really-waterproof drama unfold, I was pretty much ready to put this thing on eBay on day 0.
However, Runkeeper/Ride with GPS plus Cyril Preiss' "SWApps" has just about sold me on keeping the device, or at least rekindled my interest enough to see whether its worth pursuing some form of aftermarket waterproofing approach. (currently being hashed out in another thread here)
So in essence I concur with/confirm your findings. I still haven't found out how to get the auto-correct to behave on the keyboard, but I think that's as much about taking a grand-daddy step back to understand how the Fleksy is designed, and how to properly inflect the gestures to keep things from getting out-of-hand (pun!). I remember having *some* of the same trouble when going from the iPhone 4s to the Xperia Z1 (before the Z1s) and that keyboard drove me kuh-ray-zee until I figured out the whole swipe-your-finger-to-spell-the-word thing worked. Then suddenly I wondered how anyone would type on one of these things any other way.
So - I'm coming around to seeing the advantages of the TrueSmart, and more to the point *really* understanding why Lokifish, Cyril, Kurt, Daniel and so many others here see in the platform - and continue to invest time and effort into it.
Oh - and as to the battery drain, I just ran my TS down to 15% and then connected it to a Waka Waka to charge, and while I didn't have it timed it's already back to 100%. Solar powered smartwatch - now we're talkin'. So instead of thinking about a snap-in/out solution for the battery I'm looking at/for a 'gator glip' charger cable or some other light-weight charger connection for the TS (I thought I saw them online somewhere, and OMate was offering them at first - I'd prefer that to the case for workout/outdoor activities where space is a premium). I'm also looking into how to/whether I can set up profiles that are more like "give me what you got" versus "all-day wearer" mode. On the Sony Xperia Z1s there's a "Stamina Mode" which tamps down on battery drain, but can also kill functionality of apps that are not in the foreground (bad news for Panobike cycling cadence meter, etc) so while I have *some* apps exempted from Stamina Mode, when I'm doing a dedicated outing I just switch it off completely - knowing that I'm going to be putting the device on charge by either using one of the portable packs I'm carrying with me - or when I get back to the car.
Anyway, food for thought...
Thanks for the reply, it's good to share tips and tricks!
I saw that Loki has actually abandoned TrueSmart. Frustrations with their updates and lack of support I think.
Primarily for me this watch was a replacement sports tracker, but my hopes for an all-purpose watch are not looking good as the blue-tooth tethering is not working with my S5; it pairs successfully, but doesn't connect, so the TrueSmart Master app is useless.
The TS also doesn't connect to my BT headset for voice, but it did connect with the JayBird headphones (although the cutting out was super irritating).
In Summary - BlueTooth not reliable and will be a deal-breaker as I would have to carry my phone anyway.
Couple with the infuriating keyboard and inconsistent navigation, (I've now tried the LMT dial thing, which also doesn't work properly) I'm losing interest fast - which is a shame as it could be so good.
For charging, my GPS watch uses a clip as you describe. So much better than the cradle which renders the watch inaccessible while it's charging. But why not a simple USB port with a cover, like the S5....(a proper waterproof phone). Even the solar charger will then require carrying two separate items for the TS...
You can set up profiles on an app called Easy Battery Saver - I used it on my last phone and installed it for TS. It works as described and easy to activate/de-activate.
I will keep with the TS a while longer, but I suspect the next Galaxy Gear, which is rumoured to be stand-alone, will be what we are really looking for...
Hope to hear more from you - I will post my next findings on the TS too.
lphovercraft said:
I think the answer to your question about whether you have day 1 frustrations is: yes and no.
I put on Lokifish's latest ROM and did a few other tweaks (principally Daniel Ortiz's recommended GPS fix) and then started from there. I played with the out-of-the-box version for a total of two minutes before I became monumentally frustrated with the sensitivity of the touch screen, and the keyboard seemed to trigger letters even when I was just hovering over the screen trying to make a more accurate 'tap'. Maybe it was placebo effect but the Lokifish ROM seemed to be better calibrated, though I still avoid using the keyboard for anything other than tapping in passwords to get accounts setup.
The first app that gave me an inkling that the TS is a 'keeper' is Runkeeper. (pun!) I'm actually not so much of a runner, but I use Runkeeper on my main device to track my cycling and I log my circuit and swim training data on the web which integrates across the other apps I use to collect and manage fitness data (Withings Body Analyzer, Myfitnesspal, Fitbit). The thought of being able to dispense with multiple tracking apps/devices and perhaps even leaving the big phone at home (the Z1s doesn't have the brightest screen anyway) was one of the main draws of the TrueSmart. But the real 'killer app' feature for me was the ability to use this TrueSmart as an 'all day wearer' *and* have it work in-water to capture swim data. But After six months of waiting (like you) and seeing the not-really-waterproof drama unfold, I was pretty much ready to put this thing on eBay on day 0.
However, Runkeeper/Ride with GPS plus Cyril Preiss' "SWApps" has just about sold me on keeping the device, or at least rekindled my interest enough to see whether its worth pursuing some form of aftermarket waterproofing approach. (currently being hashed out in another thread here)
So in essence I concur with/confirm your findings. I still haven't found out how to get the auto-correct to behave on the keyboard, but I think that's as much about taking a grand-daddy step back to understand how the Fleksy is designed, and how to properly inflect the gestures to keep things from getting out-of-hand (pun!). I remember having *some* of the same trouble when going from the iPhone 4s to the Xperia Z1 (before the Z1s) and that keyboard drove me kuh-ray-zee until I figured out the whole swipe-your-finger-to-spell-the-word thing worked. Then suddenly I wondered how anyone would type on one of these things any other way.
So - I'm coming around to seeing the advantages of the TrueSmart, and more to the point *really* understanding why Lokifish, Cyril, Kurt, Daniel and so many others here see in the platform - and continue to invest time and effort into it.
Oh - and as to the battery drain, I just ran my TS down to 15% and then connected it to a Waka Waka to charge, and while I didn't have it timed it's already back to 100%. Solar powered smartwatch - now we're talkin'. So instead of thinking about a snap-in/out solution for the battery I'm looking at/for a 'gator glip' charger cable or some other light-weight charger connection for the TS (I thought I saw them online somewhere, and OMate was offering them at first - I'd prefer that to the case for workout/outdoor activities where space is a premium). I'm also looking into how to/whether I can set up profiles that are more like "give me what you got" versus "all-day wearer" mode. On the Sony Xperia Z1s there's a "Stamina Mode" which tamps down on battery drain, but can also kill functionality of apps that are not in the foreground (bad news for Panobike cycling cadence meter, etc) so while I have *some* apps exempted from Stamina Mode, when I'm doing a dedicated outing I just switch it off completely - knowing that I'm going to be putting the device on charge by either using one of the portable packs I'm carrying with me - or when I get back to the car.
Anyway, food for thought...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
More success with BT pairing
More success today - got the bt headset (MyVoice 312) paired for calls, plus the jabra sport wireless+ bt headphones for music.... both devices paired and switch automatically when powering on and off.
Galaxy S5 also paired, but no joy with the SWAPPS app. I will keep trying with that, but it's actually a low priority since I have a sim for the TS ($10 per month for second sim with same number as primary sim)
Tonight I hope to try the Endomondo app on the TS paired with the Jabras, since they have a special feature that gives realtime data from the app when pushing a button on the headphones.
I can see it's going to take a while with the TS, but the tech is really good and offers a lot of promise. It's all about expectations I guess.
If the BT goes all intermittent again tonight I will be v disappointed as this is a basic but critical feature.
One problem I have had after exercising is that if you hand/fingers are sweaty then the TS goes nuts when you touch the screen - there really needs a sensitivity option (like on the S5)
Any pointers for best option for gaining Root Access to Omate TS? I notice that you have flashed Loki's 'latest' ROM, so presumably you have Rooted and flashed a Custom Recovery??
Best way to proceed--I would be grateful for a 'Heads-Up'.
BTW--I have, today, just received my October Dev Edition 1 GB 8 Gb 2100 Mhz version--and am looking at flashing Loki's ROM 20140328--is that the one to which you are referring?? or, do you have a different device version?
Any pointers--gratefully received.
I can't help you with the technical nuts and bolts as I am going to keep it all simple and hopefully working. No ROM flashes, install PlayStore and get your BT headset working.
Just that alone gives you a mobile on your wrist which is pretty damn cool for checking email, facebook, text, whatsapp and voice calls. Plus spotify, endomondo and maps!
The keyboard is a problem though, being so sensitive. And if it's raining, forget using it at all - not because of the water resistance, but because the screen just goes crazy with the water drops.
I am going to try Google Search/Voice to see if I can use voice commands on it.
Anyone else had luck with using voice?
haybill said:
Any pointers for best option for gaining Root Access to Omate TS? I notice that you have flashed Loki's 'latest' ROM, so presumably you have Rooted and flashed a Custom Recovery??
Best way to proceed--I would be grateful for a 'Heads-Up'.
BTW--I have, today, just received my October Dev Edition 1 GB 8 Gb 2100 Mhz version--and am looking at flashing Loki's ROM 20140328--is that the one to which you are referring?? or, do you have a different device version?
Any pointers--gratefully received.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey guys, I'm like a dev October backer and I get my watch this week-end. I have just started it today and after reading the lokifish topic I don't think it is a good idea for us to use our watches until we flashed a ROM with a secure kernel (the kernel of the 1/8/2100 is unsecure).
If you want to root your TS there is tons of solutions as it i a mediatek chip.
Can you recommend me a BT Headphone to par with my TS.
Blue-rayer said:
Can you recommend me a BT Headphone to par with my TS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm using Backbeat Go 2 with my TS, I love the "minimalistic" approach to it. When not used I wear them like a necklace (you can attach the earbuds to eachother) and it's not in the way the slightest. It works great for taking phone calls, and I've tried it with both walking, biking and running with no issues. Volume controls, checking battery level, taking calls and such works great from the remote. Battery life is ok:ish, maybe a bit more than 3 hours total listening time. That is if you play music or talk on the phone non-stop, with moderate use (taking a few phonecalls during the day and similar) they last for days.
From what I hear the Backbeat Go 2 is more or less a ripoff of Jaybird Bluebuds X headphone (looks very similar), but the Jaybirds have better battery life, fits more securely in your ear for sporting and such - not that I ever had issues with that. The main thing that made me go with the Backbeat though is that it's about half the price.
Ok thanks. I'm gonna give a look to this.
Headphones
Blue-rayer said:
Can you recommend me a BT Headphone to par with my TS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After going through two Backbeats (not the Go, think it was 903 or something similar) I can state they are useless for exercising with, no resistance to water or sweat.
I then tried a pair of Philips SHB6017/10 and lasted a month before starting to randomly calling strange numbers due to shorting out. I'm not a sweaty person, honest!
Finally settled on Jabra Sport and they're awesome, have been using them for a year now.
Thanks to Amazon who refunded and replaced every single failed headphone, even sending out the replacements before I'd sent in the dead ones.
Cheers,
Andreas
I was actually playing around with the voice commands, you do have to setup loads of Google Apps, like Google search and Maps etc and give it permission to everything but it does work... I highly recommend using Nova launcher as it places the Mic search option right on the home screen.... which launches Google search... "Ok Google" and you're off.... I'm not sure how to get it to recognise OK Google without first having started the search app... Anyway some of my favourite things to ask for....
Take me home.... (Starts maps navigation)
Play some music (starts Google music and tries to play music)
Order Pizza (finds the nearest dominos)
What is iPhone (reads out definition of an iphone)
Picked up my AT&T G5 on April 23rd. Thought it was pretty darn good at the time, but after using it for a week there are just to many issues with it. Most of them seem to be common here on the forum, so I thought I would run down my list.
1. Dropping Network. I have found that about 2-3 times a day while the signal bars are showing full signal that there is n 4g or 1x icon. during this time I have no connectivity. cannot call, Email, text, surf the web, nothing. this tends to last for anywhere from a few seconds to last night it was over 40 mins. If I reboot the phone that seems to reestablish the network connection, but this is a huge issue to me. I need a reliable phone for work.
2. Dropping GPS. I am a guy that is used for issues at multiple work sites and facilities. As such I tend to use my GPS quite often. last week luckily I was at one static facility so I didnt need to rely on my GPS, but I ran it anyway as I had seen a number of people reporting issues with the G5 retaining GPS lock. about every 15-30 mins my phone would drop the GPS signal. it would take anywhere from a few seconds to 10 mins to reestablish. This is on a known route that i have never had any sort of GPS issues with any phones before.
3. Camera. I had the S4, S5, and then the S6 Edge. they all had pretty good cameras. Low light worked really well. the camera on the G5 does not compare. I thought I could live with it, but coupled with the other issues... Yea, its a problem for me. i like the wide angle camera, but the normal camera leaves a lot to be desired especially in low light situations.
4. Bluetooth. In my car i stream Pandora quite a bit. at least once a day i have to turn bluetooth back on as it will shut itself off in the middle of my commute. Again,not a deal breaker in and of itself, but with everything else...
5. Alarm Clock reliability. This is a strange one... the stock alarm clock tends to not go off for me. the app I normally download and use just plain didnt work with the G5. in one week the alarm has completely failed to go off 4 different days. I have checked all the settings, everything is right, nothing is killing the alarm clock app during the night, but in the morning it just wont go off. I have set the alarm and watched it waiting for it to go off for testing, and half the time when it does go off it is not audible. just the screen lights up. then if I leave everything set as it was and bump the time a couple mins so that it will go off again, the next time I will get audio. sometimes. its inconsistent, but the majority of the time it does not work properly.
6. Screen Quality. Ok, this one is really an issue with me. im jaded. I admit this. Coming from the AmoLED's on the Galaxy series looking at the G5's screen colors seem washed out. Not as sharp and bright. I know the Sammy phones over-saturate the colors, but I guess Im just used to them and because of that this screen Im just not happy with.
7. Always on display. Or what ever it is... the clock that is displayed on the screen when you turn off the screen and lock the phone. On the S6 edge I had only the clock numerals and such was lit. the rest of the screen remained off and black. With the G5 screen even though the screen looks like its off and black in a dark room you can tell the entire screen is on. it lights up my room at night. not a lot, but just enough to bug me. Again, not a deal breaker in and of itself, but with everything else....
8. Sound. streaming music via BT is fine, well as long as the BT remains on... using a pair of wired headphones the audio quality just isnt there. Playing the same track on my G5, my old GS6 Edge and my wifes S7 there is a definite sound quality loss with the G5. I have a set of Sennheiser studio headphones and I could tell ever time my wife plugged them into the G5. I was looking forward to the HIFI module, but well with all the rest here...
So this morning I went back to my AT&T store to return this phone since I was still within my 15 day period. Got there 20 mins before it opened and waited with 4 other people. when i got inside and all checked in to the que for help, the lady kinda chuckled. apparently the other 4 people were there to do the same thing, exchange the G5 for a different device.
I really wanted to like this phone. I really tried. One or two of the issues i could have lived with, but when they are all present... this does NOT seem like a flagship phone to me. seems more like a swing and a miss.
I don't have a G5, so my answer is only based on reviews and other users tests:
1) Here in italy all the reviewers claimed the G5 to have the beste signal in both mobile and wifi network compared to S7 Edge, P9 and HTC 10, so maybe your model was defective?
2) Nothing to say as it seems that other users suffered of this problem, i found nothing about GPS problems in reviews though.
3) G5 has the best camera in normal condition, in low light there is no competition because S7 obviously do a lot better.
4) Same as point 2, no problem in reviews, but some users here in xda have the same problem.
5) It's a third party app? Really, does it work on other devices with Marshmallow or with the Snapdragon 820? The stock app work? Other third party apps work?
6) Yep, that's it. But keep in mind that Amoled is anyway the best display.
7) AOD is totally wrong on both G5 and S7, in the first because in order to drain less battery the display backlight is very low, and in the second, and in my opinion is the more stupid, because it's useless, you can (for the moment) see only stock app notification, clock and date (maybe a very few other things)
8) The bluetooth issue is the same that you reported in point 4, and the story is again the same, some users reported it, but reviewers and other users are surprised for the good sound.
Just try to answer to some problems, i've no intention to argument
I have the poor signal and drops. I was blaming it on my carrier. I may take this back and get a different brand all together.
Hey Kill, In regards to #5, the stock app wasnt working reliably so I tried a app store app. that one wasnt reliable either. I always try to use the stock built in first.
In regards to #8 I was talking about the wired headphones via the headphone jack. BT audio sounded good, but the quality loss was with the wired headphones.
schollianmj said:
Hey Kill, In regards to #5, the stock app wasnt working reliably so I tried a app store app. that one wasnt reliable either. I always try to use the stock built in first.
In regards to #8 I was talking about the wired headphones via the headphone jack. BT audio sounded good, but the quality loss was with the wired headphones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For the #5 strange, never heard something like this.
For the #8 i saw that, it's the same as other problems, some users have them, other not, and the reviewers never said nothing. Maybe there was a problem with the the jack itself, in my opinion the real issue with this phone is that you have high chances to get a faulty one, moreover in us where it was released first. In my country I'm still waiting for users feedback
I love my lg g5. I get bored of phones and switch up so regularly but still absolutely loving it. I mainly got it for the camera, and I'm more impressed than I was with my beloved lg g4. In manual mode I still believe it's better than the s7 (I tested then both over the course of a week).
That data drop is interesting though. Happens to me too, but can't figure out if it might be something to do with whether you turn wi-fi on or off. Seems linked, as happens to me at work.
I have the ATT one too. Got it the day before launch... Screen i think comes second to the S7 TBh, but is still pretty damn good... Camera I find is sick, better than the competition in my opinion. I haven't had any issues with data or signal loss whatsoever, however I can confirm when using GPS the signal will either drop, or it won't lock on at all until I just about hold it to the top of my front windshield!!! The sound I find is fine, but im no audio engineer either. I use jaybird X2 BT ear buds and I think they sound fantastic with no Bluetooth signal loss ever... Alarm issue is a new one to me.. No problems here and I constantly have to change the time due to our ridiculous work schedule.
One can definitely understand why you are bringing yours back. Hope you enjoy your next device.
Sent from my LG-H820 using XDA-Developers mobile app
schollianmj said:
Picked up my AT&T G5 on April 23rd. Thought it was pretty darn good at the time, but after using it for a week there are just to many issues with it. Most of them seem to be common here on the forum, so I thought I would run down my list.
1. Dropping Network. I have found that about 2-3 times a day while the signal bars are showing full signal that there is n 4g or 1x icon. during this time I have no connectivity. cannot call, Email, text, surf the web, nothing. this tends to last for anywhere from a few seconds to last night it was over 40 mins. If I reboot the phone that seems to reestablish the network connection, but this is a huge issue to me. I need a reliable phone for work.
2. Dropping GPS. I am a guy that is used for issues at multiple work sites and facilities. As such I tend to use my GPS quite often. last week luckily I was at one static facility so I didnt need to rely on my GPS, but I ran it anyway as I had seen a number of people reporting issues with the G5 retaining GPS lock. about every 15-30 mins my phone would drop the GPS signal. it would take anywhere from a few seconds to 10 mins to reestablish. This is on a known route that i have never had any sort of GPS issues with any phones before.
3. Camera. I had the S4, S5, and then the S6 Edge. they all had pretty good cameras. Low light worked really well. the camera on the G5 does not compare. I thought I could live with it, but coupled with the other issues... Yea, its a problem for me. i like the wide angle camera, but the normal camera leaves a lot to be desired especially in low light situations.
4. Bluetooth. In my car i stream Pandora quite a bit. at least once a day i have to turn bluetooth back on as it will shut itself off in the middle of my commute. Again,not a deal breaker in and of itself, but with everything else...
5. Alarm Clock reliability. This is a strange one... the stock alarm clock tends to not go off for me. the app I normally download and use just plain didnt work with the G5. in one week the alarm has completely failed to go off 4 different days. I have checked all the settings, everything is right, nothing is killing the alarm clock app during the night, but in the morning it just wont go off. I have set the alarm and watched it waiting for it to go off for testing, and half the time when it does go off it is not audible. just the screen lights up. then if I leave everything set as it was and bump the time a couple mins so that it will go off again, the next time I will get audio. sometimes. its inconsistent, but the majority of the time it does not work properly.
6. Screen Quality. Ok, this one is really an issue with me. im jaded. I admit this. Coming from the AmoLED's on the Galaxy series looking at the G5's screen colors seem washed out. Not as sharp and bright. I know the Sammy phones over-saturate the colors, but I guess Im just used to them and because of that this screen Im just not happy with.
7. Always on display. Or what ever it is... the clock that is displayed on the screen when you turn off the screen and lock the phone. On the S6 edge I had only the clock numerals and such was lit. the rest of the screen remained off and black. With the G5 screen even though the screen looks like its off and black in a dark room you can tell the entire screen is on. it lights up my room at night. not a lot, but just enough to bug me. Again, not a deal breaker in and of itself, but with everything else....
8. Sound. streaming music via BT is fine, well as long as the BT remains on... using a pair of wired headphones the audio quality just isnt there. Playing the same track on my G5, my old GS6 Edge and my wifes S7 there is a definite sound quality loss with the G5. I have a set of Sennheiser studio headphones and I could tell ever time my wife plugged them into the G5. I was looking forward to the HIFI module, but well with all the rest here...
So this morning I went back to my AT&T store to return this phone since I was still within my 15 day period. Got there 20 mins before it opened and waited with 4 other people. when i got inside and all checked in to the que for help, the lady kinda chuckled. apparently the other 4 people were there to do the same thing, exchange the G5 for a different device.
I really wanted to like this phone. I really tried. One or two of the issues i could have lived with, but when they are all present... this does NOT seem like a flagship phone to me. seems more like a swing and a miss.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Humm, I haven't had any such issues....
Hope you enjoy your new device.
As a comparison, my data, gps, Bluetooth and such all work fine. When using an auxiliary cable in my car I had that hissing sound, but using the alternate 3.5mm port on the back of my radio fixed the issue.
The only part of the phone that could use some fine tuning is the strength of the paint or whatever it's calledy. The paint got a little rough or irritated in a couple spots from removing a tpu case less than ten times. I also noticed a little chip in the coating near the charging port. I'm very careful with my phones. My G2 has less blemishes at this point and I've had that thing forever. I'll be curious to see how it will hold up over the next year, at the least.
Who knows, my paint problem could be a minority issue just as others with GPS and data issues. In my case, instead of getting a new device that could possibly have more than superficial defects. I'll keep the one with the funky paint.
As we all know, there's lots to love about this phone. I'm sure as hell keeping mine.
All the problems I hear about seem to be non existant on the unbranded variants or variants for carriers outside the US...
Also AT&T H820 seems to have the most issues.
Had this phone for a week now with no issues.I've only read one bad report of a variant outside the US...
Not saying LG is not at fault but this what happens when carriers mess with the firmware...doesn't explain quality issues but most of it seems to be with AT&T
My main issue is the ambient light sensor causing the image to flicker in low light when using the FFC, and the obvious auto brightness issue. This needs to get fixed ASAP by LG.
Everything else is working just fine for me. Battery life is meh, but as others have mentioned the stand by time is amazing feels similar to the performance of an iPhone in terms of battery life. Bluetooth works fine as well.
I do not have any of these issues. So have to say I disagree with this post completely.
1 Carrier issues, ie network is your mobile provider. Mine drops never. 4G 2 to 3 bars most of the time.
2. GPS on mine is perfect, many journeys well over half an hour, no issues at all.
3. The camera beats out any other phone I've used low light and craps over the Galaxy S's Barring the 7. (You need to use manual or a steady hand but still stands)
4. BT issues is the devices you are connecting to.
5. Alarm clock always goes off for me.. maybe you're turning it off in your sleep, or some settings you've altered or app you've downloaded
6. S6 and 7 screens are better, no doubt, except in sunlight where the S6 is not really useable but G5 is absolutely perfect in sun. As bright as if you're indoors.
7. Always on display drains too much battery so I turn it off... I like my 6.5 hours screen on time at 75% brightness.
8. Sound quality trounces my old S6 and Xperia Z5, can't say much else about this. It's louder and clearer and bassier.
Have to say i'm happy with this phone and thanks to the wide angle lens.. I might just end up keeping it.
UK H850 Stock Rom had for 4 weeks now.
1. Dropping Network. -- This has been better than my old Z2. In fact some "dead spots" that my friends phone suffer from I find my phone still has 2 bars
2. Dropping GPS. -- Used the LG fitness tracker the other day and it was really accurate to the paths I walked when check on google maps. CHecking some photos on google and they are accurate to 2 metres.
3. Camera. -- Low light has not been an issue for me, but if it were I'd switch to the manual mode. Done some amazing sunsets thanks to the manual mode
4. Bluetooth. -- Only used with headphones but never had an issue. Streamed for couple of hours to a portable speaker at a bbq this weekend and was faultless.
5. Alarm Clock reliability.-- Not used that feature. Have used the timer function for cooking and that works a treat, very loud as well
6. Screen Quality.-- I thought my Xperia Z2 screen was good, the G5 is blinding when you set brightness up. It's amazing for outdoor use in sun light. I have seen the S6 screen, colours look freakish and don't match when on a TV or monitor
7. Always on display. -- I have stopped turning my phone on thanks to this and the battery usage is insane, it barely uses it. Also I have noticed it changes brightness based on on light sensor. Plus if I want it off I cover the proximity sensor or flip it.
8. using a pair of wired headphones the audio quality just isnt there. -- Yet this has a 24bit DAC, better than the S7 (dependent on processor) and most other flagships. The basic headphones with it are crap but they are cheap. But my sony nc ones sound amazing with it.
I read a lot of bad things about quality whee this launched but then I reminded myself, people only tend to have time to complain about things and no praise. I know I'm guilty of that. In fact I'll layout my one complaint about the G5, the UI. It's not as "clever" or usable as what I'm used to with the Xperia. But I can change that with 3rd party software and root.
Maybe you have a bad one, or may as someone else pointed out the issue is the carriers forcing changes on base model. All those variants could be affecting the quality control.
I have the H860N dual sim version, not having any problems as mentioned above apart from the alarm part.
I set my alarm on at 3pm and 4pm with snooze in case I over slept, but some how the alarm goes off at around 9:20pm and also the set alarm times, not sure if it's related to other features.
I'm still testing it now.
I just wanted to chime in here.
I have the LG G5 on Verizon and my signal is horrid. I lose LTE coverage all the time. This is NOT the network as I also carry a LG G4 with me that is also on Verizon and it always has a LTE connection and a strong signal at the time that the G5 drops. I am getting Verizon to replace the device, hopefully this resolves the issue.
They had me use the Repair tool on my PC along with multiple factory resets. They event went as far as to blame the Google Application updates that were from the Play store, aka looking for a cop out.
The only issue that I've had with my G5 has been with the AT&T LTE signal. Sometimes I find the phone struggling to stay on LTE for a minute or two. This is not a big problem for me but it is sometimes annoying when I try to watch a video or something. I live in the Washington DC area and LTE service is pretty strong over most of the area, so it's not a carrier issue. Again it's not a big deal and most of the time I don't notice it.
Regarding the camera, it's one of the best smartphone cameras I've seen yet, I've taken some pretty amazing shots and all of them have been in full auto mode.
If your device is having that many issues, you should probably return it.
You are right
Pphish20 said:
All the problems I hear about seem to be non existant on the unbranded variants or variants for carriers outside the US...
Also AT&T H820 seems to have the most issues.
Had this phone for a week now with no issues.I've only read one bad report of a variant outside the US...
Not saying LG is not at fault but this what happens when carriers mess with the firmware...doesn't explain quality issues but most of it seems to be with AT&T
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wonder why AT&T and other U.S. carriers like to put their own software on top of LG factory image. Unbranded LG G5 works great!
Maybe you are right, Carriers 's bloatware may cause those issues.
---------- Post added at 10:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:35 PM ----------
Go hidden menu, Run a ALL-AUTO-TEST, you can test the LTE NETWORK issues, If in test mode, the LTE never drops. It is not the hardware issue. According to my experience, Most of issues are caused by Carrier firmware.
I have this same issue with the alarm clock. sometimes it works my early morning alarm rarely goes off.
I have tried adding the alarm clock app to the battery optimization exception list and that hasn't helped.
Third party apps on the optimization list or off still unreliable.
anyone find a solution for this? i may try a factory reset this weekend.
other apps like KIK seem to have the same problem like they just stop functioning when the screen is off. I get a flood of messages when i unlock the screen.
could it have something to do with device encryption? i don't think my phone always had these problems and that;s the only big change i can think of that i made.
I haven't had a single one of the listed issues on my Verizon phone other than the pretty bad low light camera, which does bum me out because it was weirdly a lot better on my G4? Daylight photos are absolutely beautiful.
I also use my alarm every night with no issues.
The update my phone downloaded last Friday seems to have fixed my issues with the alarm clock.
Sent from my LGLS992 using XDA-Developers mobile app
So I've heard that Lenovo Moto Z is the new daydream ready phone. Have you tried using it with daydream view? How is the performance? I also heard that this phone tends to overheat. Is it a problem when playing in VR?
I know the Pixel phones have been producing a lot of heat while using daydream. The reason for the heat is the amount of power required to run VR which causes the phone to throttle from all the heat being produced. You can expect about the same amount of heat considering the specs of the phone. I could imagine the Moto Z would perform about the same as the Pixel considering the Pixel only has a slightly over clocked version of the Snapdragon 820 used in the Z. Since people have just started receiving the Android N update for the Z more people should be able to comment on actual performance soon. Hope this somewhat helped.
I have the Moto Z and the daydream headset is on the way. I'll give a review on what I think when it arrives in a few days. And how long it takes to overheat (get the on screen overheating message). Anything else you want me to check out on it?
The daydream headset is good on the moto z. The biggest annoyance is that the headset allows some light to come in on the side. I imagine this will vary for each person based on head/face shape. I've played with it multiple times for 30+ minutes. I never got the message about getting too hot. But every time I took it out the phone was way too hot to hold. I mean it would probably burn your hand if you held onto it. Which kind of worries me. But I would set it down and not use for for 15+ minutes and it would be back to normal. The headset/remote is better than a google cardboard. But the app/game selection is not as good and the samsung gear vr. But may get there over time. There is very few apps/games available. I did see both netflix and hulu are on it but didn't try either one yet. The battery usage was less than 10 percent for the 30 minutes or so I used it for.
If google keeps pushing it. It will be a worthwhile purchase in 6 months to a year. But if you buy one now just expect a better google cardboard experience.
I agree, daydream app is very buggy due to heat issue. I used youtube app for vr and the phone was normal, but using youtube vr app inside daydream for 30 minute causes extreme heat that can burn your hands! I highly not reccommend using daydream app for now bc it could cause serious damage to the battery.
I have tried, I feel that it's zoomed in too much.
For example in netflix, I almoust don't see the the whole tv. But also in other apps some menus is partly outside the view.
I made a post about it on reddit in the daydream forum (not allowed to post links here, so you have to find it your self, title is "Daydream on Moto Z too zoomed in")
Yeah, the heat issue was very scary. I've never had a phone get that hot in such a short period. I didn't know if the hardware is just getting pushed too hard or its a software problem. I'm hoping for the latter.
And if/when google comes out with a new version of the daydream view headset. They need to make it not so much "one size fits all". I have a cheap plastic cardboard that was only 15 bucks and has better adjustments and fit than the daydream view. I could stand it with the cardboard since it was so cheap.
But I will say the controller is very good. But it needs a button or two on the bottom/top edge. Or games are going to be very basic and probably not catch on. Unless they add the option to use a second daydream controller. Then oculus rift/htc vive style games can be made for it.
Strange, I have upgraded to Nougat on my Moto Z bit the Daydream app is still "incompatible with my device". Anyone know what's going on?
Thanks
Ken
I have a daydream headset lying around. Used it 2-3 times on my z force and now it's gathering dust... Novelty at best. It did work well with the phone though. Only issue I found was the mask's strap was hard to adjust so it would stay put.
I have Moto z and daydream . It gets hot but have never gotten the overheat warning. Use it while wife sleeps with Bluetooth headphones to watch Netflix or Hulu . And ignore the guy who says it's too zoomed in. You can adjust it within each app. For Netflix just look up at the ceiling and a menu allows size adjust for screen , and to let you move the screen so you can lay on your back while watching . Can do similar on Hulu . I recommend opening the apps separate without going through Google daydream though maybe that's the heating issue. But yea I've used daydream app for 5 hours strait and my phone didn't over heat.
Did anyone tried to use it with a custom rom or are you all talking about stock experience?
rionline said:
Did anyone tried to use it with a custom rom or are you all talking about stock experience?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No one has any experience with custom roms and daydream?
I purchased a refurbished Nexus 9 a year and a half ago. I've used ROMs to get it to 7.x and get all the regular updates OTA, currently on the May 5th security update. I've been playing CSR Racing 2 on it for about 9 months. The game has many known issues on Android of all versions and all devices, including crashing to "desktop". This problem is more unique. At almost any given moment in-game I can get a whited out or nearly opaque white, blocky screen overlaying the game image. At the same time, usually, an ear-piercing squeal kicks off. I have the volume at zero at all times, btw.
I've done everything except wipe the thing and re-install. Interestingly, I've had the problem outside the game once, although I can't recall what I was doing at the time. I'm inclined to believe it's the hardware. I actually ordered a Shield, and should be receiving it tomorrow, believing that it's the hardware. Once that is received and the game is up and running - unless I have the same problem on the Shield (meaning the problem's in the game or my profile itself) - I will be wiping the Nexus 9 and finding out once and for all if the thing's toast. In that vein, I have two questions.
One, is there some type of diagnostic I could run to check the limits of this tablet? CSR2 is very taxing on hardware, especially Android, and pushes it very hard. I'm wondering if there's a diagnostic that is a stress tester of sorts that I could use to see if there is any specific problem with the hardware.
Secondly, is there a ROM folks think may have better hardware interfacing for the memory, CPU/GPU, than stock Android? Obviously, I'd like the diagnostic to test the hardware while the new tablet will test whether it's the game/profile. What I won't have tested is the Android OS itself. Any recommendations?
Thanks for your time and any help that you may be able to offer!
Kazz5 said:
I purchased a refurbished Nexus 9 a year and a half ago. I've used ROMs to get it to 7.x and get all the regular updates OTA, currently on the May 5th security update. I've been playing CSR Racing 2 on it for about 9 months. The game has many known issues on Android of all versions and all devices, including crashing to "desktop". This problem is more unique. At almost any given moment in-game I can get a whited out or nearly opaque white, blocky screen overlaying the game image. At the same time, usually, an ear-piercing squeal kicks off. I have the volume at zero at all times, btw.
I've done everything except wipe the thing and re-install. Interestingly, I've had the problem outside the game once, although I can't recall what I was doing at the time. I'm inclined to believe it's the hardware. I actually ordered a Shield, and should be receiving it tomorrow, believing that it's the hardware. Once that is received and the game is up and running - unless I have the same problem on the Shield (meaning the problem's in the game or my profile itself) - I will be wiping the Nexus 9 and finding out once and for all if the thing's toast. In that vein, I have two questions.
One, is there some type of diagnostic I could run to check the limits of this tablet? CSR2 is very taxing on hardware, especially Android, and pushes it very hard. I'm wondering if there's a diagnostic that is a stress tester of sorts that I could use to see if there is any specific problem with the hardware.
Secondly, is there a ROM folks think may have better hardware interfacing for the memory, CPU/GPU, than stock Android? Obviously, I'd like the diagnostic to test the hardware while the new tablet will test whether it's the game/profile. What I won't have tested is the Android OS itself. Any recommendations?
Thanks for your time and any help that you may be able to offer!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, Kazz5...
I can't comment on CSR Racing 2, having never played it myself, however the crash symptoms you describe - a largely white, blocky, garbled pixelated screen accompanied with a loud, high pitched banshee like squealing or shrieking noise (it scared the crap out of me the first time it happened ) is certainly something I've experienced myself several times on my Nexus 9.
I've had this spectacular and very noisy crash happen whilst playing Minecraft and whilst playing old (1990s) pinball games via video game emulator apps. But it's also happened when doing something no more taxing on the hardware than checking my emails with Inbox or browsing the web using Chrome.
There doesn't seem to be any logically consistent reason why it happens or under what circumstances are required in order for it to happen. It just happens, suddenly and unexpectedly, and then I find myself hurriedly scrambling around for the power button and long pressing it in order to make the ear piercing howl go away!
I've noticed when it happens my battery is on the low side, usually less than 25%, although I'm uncertain whether this is the actual cause.
----------------------------------
A Possible Solution...
Recently I flashed the Fire-Ice kernel , primarily for the purpose of improving the thin, weedy audio that Andoid Nougat 7.1.1 suffers from on the Nexus 9. (See my post here.)
Now it could just be a complete coincidence or maybe the unique circumstances required to trigger this crash haven't yet arisen on my Nexus 9 since I flashed it - in other words, perhaps I haven't been running it long enough yet, but since flashing Fire-Ice eight days ago, I've had no recurrence of this hard and spectacular crash as you and I have described.
Flashing this kernal though, will cause complications (but not insurmountable ones) when the June OTA security patch is due from Google in around three weeks or so.
----------------------------------
Sorry I couldn't provide a more definitive solution to this problem... or suggest any diagnostics of the type you allude to or suggest solutions regarding CSR Racing 2. If this game is as cutting edge as you suggest, it may be asking more than the now two and half year old Nexus 9 can deliver.
Minecraft, old pinball games and Solitaire card games are about as high octane as it gets for me these days .
Good luck with your Shield and I hope you have a better experience playing CSR Racing 2 on it than on the Nexus 9, and which I suspect you probably will. The Nexus 9 has been riven with a variety of problems ever since it was released back in November 2014, and this seemingly random, complete crashing of the device is unfortunately one of 'em .
Rgrds,
Ged.
I read this reply via email before taking the time to come here and I just want to say thanks for such a thorough sharing of your experience and perspective! You made it clear to me that ordering a Shield was the right thing to do in my case. Interestingly, my Nexus 9 did the squeal/crash in another app soon after I posted this.
My Shield came in, upgraded painlessly, OTA, to 7.0.0 and seems to run much smoother than the Nexus 9 in every way. Yes, the screen is a bit smaller. But, frankly, I'm seeing less pixelation - I have to assume - due to the smaller screen size. The Shield runs cooler (I used to blow on the hot end of the Nexus 9 when holding it in my hands, in it's case, for longer periods of time) and the battery definitely lasts longer.
I will finish moving everything over to the Shield in the coming few days and make up my mind what I want to do with the Nexus 9. With it's large size and 4:3 aspect ratio, I may relegate it to electronic magazine reading - of which I have a few. I saw a reference to running some flavor of *nix on it. That could be interesting. A touch panel for security cameras is a thought, if do-able, as well. I'm sure more thoughts will come up, including getting a more stable Android installed on it.
Please keep me/us posted on your experiences with the Fire-Ice kernel! And thank you again!
GedBlake said:
Hi, Kazz5...
I can't comment on CSR Racing 2, having never played it myself, however the crash symptoms you describe - a largely white, blocky, garbled pixelated screen accompanied with a loud, high pitched banshee like squealing or shrieking noise (it scared the crap out of me the first time it happened ) is certainly something I've experienced myself several times on my Nexus 9.
I've had this spectacular and very noisy crash happen whilst playing Minecraft and whilst playing old (1990s) pinball games via video game emulator apps. But it's also happened when doing something no more taxing on the hardware than checking my emails with Inbox or browsing the web using Chrome.
There doesn't seem to be any logically consistent reason why it happens or under what circumstances are required in order for it to happen. It just happens, suddenly and unexpectedly, and then I find myself hurriedly scrambling around for the power button and long pressing it in order to make the ear piercing howl go away!
I've noticed when it happens my battery is on the low side, usually less than 25%, although I'm uncertain whether this is the actual cause.
----------------------------------
A Possible Solution...
Recently I flashed the Fire-Ice kernel , primarily for the purpose of improving the thin, weedy audio that Andoid Nougat 7.1.1 suffers from on the Nexus 9. (See my post here.)
Now it could just be a complete coincidence or maybe the unique circumstances required to trigger this crash haven't yet arisen on my Nexus 9 since I flashed it - in other words, perhaps I haven't been running it long enough yet, but since flashing Fire-Ice eight days ago, I've had no recurrence of this hard and spectacular crash as you and I have described.
Flashing this kernal though, will cause complications (but not insurmountable ones) when the June OTA security patch is due from Google in around three weeks or so.
----------------------------------
Sorry I couldn't provide a more definitive solution to this problem... or suggest any diagnostics of the type you allude to or suggest solutions regarding CSR Racing 2. If this game is as cutting edge as you suggest, it may be asking more than the now two and half year old Nexus 9 can deliver.
Minecraft, old pinball games and Solitaire card games are about as high octane as it gets for me these days .
Good luck with your Shield and I hope you have a better experience playing CSR Racing 2 on it than on the Nexus 9, and which I suspect you probably will. The Nexus 9 has been riven with a variety of problems ever since it was released back in November 2014, and this seemingly random, complete crashing of the device is unfortunately one of 'em .
Rgrds,
Ged.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wanted to follow-up with you on an experience. I moved to the Shield K1 and have been using it since May. Something's happened with it's charging (I suspect the mini-USB port's connection as it seems to be a weak spot for many). In a pinch, to keep playing my game of choice, I picked up my Nexus 9 and gave it a full charge. I was thrilled since it was working so well. But once it hit 58% charge the weird screen and shrill shrieking returned. Now cornered, I did my best google-fu and uncovered a couple of threads that claimed I could fix my Nexus 9!
It seems many people were having success with removing the back panel (easy), gently prying a small, metal cover off of the battery's connection at the circuit board, unplugging the cable, cleaning connections with isopropyl alcohol, and re-assembling. I found a Youtube link (ifixit, I think?) there that showed how to disassemble the Nexus 9 and I was off! It seems some folks have had this clear up the problem for months and some have had it recur, fixing it again with the same procedure.
I've been using it for days in all states of charge with no return of the problem so far. It's given me plenty of time to get my warranty-replacement Shield enroute. The Shield is still much quicker. But I'm thrilled that there's not some odd gremlin with the Nexus 9. I knew I needed to track this post and your reply down in order to let you know. I hope it helps you and/or someone else!
And thanks again!
Just wanted to bump this thread as I am having the same problem with my N9 and it is steadily getting worse. When this problem first started, it would happen once every 2-3 weeks, usually when I was in Instagram. Now it is happening daily, or multiple times in a day, and sometimes it occurs right after reboot.
I have gotten frustrated enough that I am going to do a clean (reflash) of Pure Nexus, ElemX, etc and see if that has any effect.
Did you read my reply? Cleaning the connector to the battery has fixed my issues - which were constant - for weeks now!
I just got one of these Nexus 9 32GB giving to me by a family member as they upgraded to something else due to the issues with the Nexus 9 . It had the whole deal going on with the white pixelated screen freezing followed by a loud ear busting screeching noise at roughly 50% and 20% battery. I factory reset the tablet and cleaned the cache in recovery then popped back off the tablet and disconnected battery for a min or two, hooked it back up and it runs like butter so far for the last week through the whole cycle of the battery without freezing or screeching. Strange indeed but that fix works for whatever reason.