Nexus 4 turned us into the "First time Andriod Users" - Nexus 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

As the title suggests, I have just turned into an Andriod user...i.e.: this is my first ever andriod device. If it was not for Nexus 4's cutting-edge hardware+software combined with its PRICING (the major part), I wouldnt have bought an andriod phone.
Just want to know who else is on the same boat. There are a lot of questions running in my mind.. rooting.. kernel.. ROMs.. what not! May be by the passage of time I will learn all this and enjoy the journey of Andriod-world.

Welcome. You couldn't have picked a better android device to start off with.
If you have any questions regarding rooting or anything android in general feel free to PM me.
Good luck!
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

@ mackster248.
Thank you mate. I am obliged. Will surely contact if I plan on rooting.

Feel free to contact me as well if you need to! Also don't be afraid to ask questions, just be sure to use the search function
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Tip is since you're new. Don't use the toolkit, spend the time and learn about it to manually unlock the bootloader if you decide on flashing anything (custom rom, kernel, root). It's very simple to do and will help you in the long run. Check the forum sticky threads and there are tutorials on how to approach this.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

the previous one, galaxy nexus, was my first one. i couldn't see myself using gingerbread before, it was too ugly. when they got matias duarte and it started to look like something i made the jump and never looked back. i'd say use your nexus for a while. you can always root it easily, that wont be a problem, but why not enjoying stock android while its new and fresh for you. i mean, im all for rooting it but honestly, the time when a new android comes out and we don't have sources yet but we can't wait so we jump to I/O leaks or factory images, that is always the nicest.
although, yeah, i forgot about nex4's washed out colors........... maybe it makes sense to root it right away for that purpose since its gonna look ten times better when its calibrated.

Welcome!
As zephiK said, try doing it all manually. Don't just find the automation scripts and use them. I started with the HTC Dream/G1, haven't looked back since. I must say android has changed a lot since the early days, but one thing has stayed the same, the knowledge I gained from having to do it manually from the get go, can roughly be applied to any android device. It largely helps you gain a better understanding of how the device works and what methods can be used to manipulate the software to do what you need, and want.

Oh yeah! How could I forget. Unlock your bootloader manually DAY ONE, even if you don't decide to root.
Why? When you unlock your bootloader, it will wipe your phone's internals and data. So you might as well do it right away so if u do decide to tinker with your phone, you can always back up everything and make your transition very easy to do.

Hey there,
I got my Nexus just before Christmas and
I'm pretty happy with it! that's my first android device. Previously I've had an iPhone 4. For me screen might be even bigger but it's pretty much OK
I decided to try root a week ago and flashed AOKP three days ago. It is all fantastic! Compared with my nexus iPhone is like a piece of ****^^
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

I too am a first time Android User and a proud owner of the Nexus 4.
It was quite a transition from Symbian to Android. Well, not really.
Now to figure out why I rooted my device last night.

My first android was the one and only T-Mobile G1 (HTC Dream). Loved it to death. But I lost it while on trip to California in 2009. I was pissed about it for almost a year :crying:
Currently have the HTC Vision (G2). Wanting to get my hands on a N4 badly. I almost want to pull the trigger and buy an overpriced one on Amazon or eBay. I'm checking the Play Store everyday for it. Let's see if I can hold out.
BTW, just got a N7 yesterday. Rooted it the moment I got it.

Android can do so much even on stock devices... I'd suggest trying it all out for a month or so before flashing kernels, etc. Just because there is so much to customize and try (and break... a bit) even without rooting.

Well nexus4 is my first Android phone i bought myself, i have used before android. But owned only Nokia. After 2 weeks I am very happy and i think i won't regret chosing this over L920
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

me too!
hi all,
the nex4 has also pulled me from the grasp of Apple. Only had mine for about 3 hours so still learning it all, and its great!

Root Process
I am new to android and need to know the step by step process of root. Like unlocking boot loader is the first step, second step ?? and so on.. Please give the step by step flow from scratch.

Nexus 4 is also my first Android device, got it last 16th of December. The best Christmas gift I had for myself after awhile. Since then, I'm lovin it!

Sandeep_AV said:
I am new to android and need to know the step by step process of root. Like unlocking boot loader is the first step, second step ?? and so on.. Please give the step by step flow from scratch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You want this which has links to loads of info: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2010338
And this looks like it will be helpful for getting help from people: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=2031989&postcount=45
I think it's really worth looking at all the different Nexus 4 subforums and reading the main threads, pretty much everything is covered. And if you don't understand something, if you post in the correct thread people will help you out with what you need.
Nexus 4 is my first android, coming after 4+ years of iPhone. I am blown away so far! And this forum is an amazing resource too :good:

I am flabbergasted to see the amount of people who have started their Andriod journey with N4.
joshnichols189 said:
Feel free to contact me as well if you need to! Also don't be afraid to ask questions, just be sure to use the search function
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you all who r willing to help. And TBO, I loved the way how nicely you expressed your gesture of helping. Rarely we get to see that on XDA.
I do not plan to root the device as honestly I dont know the ABC of rooting ATM. So I will read read and read when i get time and if stuck somewhere, i will ask someone to help and then move on.
zephiK said:
Oh yeah! How could I forget. Unlock your bootloader manually DAY ONE, even if you don't decide to root.
Why? When you unlock your bootloader, it will wipe your phone's internals and data. So you might as well do it right away so if u do decide to tinker with your phone, you can always back up everything and make your transition very easy to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Buddy, by wiping the phone's internals & data, you mean it will free up some more space for us to use.. right?

s2046 said:
You want this which has links to loads of info: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2010338
And this looks like it will be helpful for getting help from people: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=2031989&postcount=45
I think it's really worth looking at all the different Nexus 4 subforums and reading the main threads, pretty much everything is covered. And if you don't understand something, if you post in the correct thread people will help you out with what you need.
Nexus 4 is my first android, coming after 4+ years of iPhone. I am blown away so far! And this forum is an amazing resource too :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Was just checking these links.. Very very useful. Thanks.

im also a little surprised about how many nexus 4 owners are new to android. i mean all of us android veterans know that its the best android phone right now, most people just coming in to android opt for easier to come by androids like the one x or the gs3, mainly because they dont know what to look for. for those just getting into android, you made the right choice!
my advice to you from hundreds of times flashing, wiping, restoring, and resetting my phones on various roms: go crazy now. try all of the different customizations, launchers, browsers, and all that. remember what you like and what seems to slow the phone down, drain the battery, or save battery and speed it up. once you have figured all this out, wipe it and start fresh, maybe try a custom rom and kernel if you want. put back the stuff you like. after you get bored, do it again! at this point, ive pretty much realized the best thing for me is to just keep my phone as vanilla as possible, no 3rd party launchers, keyboards, dialers, etc, but ive tried them all! its just easier to set up that way, and ends up with a fast and seamless experience. everybodies different though, and thats the wonder of android

Related

newbee question

what is rootin and what is the biggest reason for it?
also the ota update does that stop the rebootin problem i want to get this phone it will be my first smart phone n dont want to many problems
thanks in advance
clamman said:
what is rootin and what is the biggest reason for it?
also the ota update does that stop the rebootin problem i want to get this phone it will be my first smart phone n dont want to many problems
thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rooting means getting full permissions to the Android system. If you don't know what Linux permissions are, don't worry about rooting; it won't have any effect on you. People generally do it to modify their phones like replacing certain software or enabling features that aren't officially supported.
No one really knows what all the OTA update covers. It's suspected it adds two features, but that's about all we know. Nonetheless, I can highly recommend the G2, even as your first smartphone. Keep in mind that most people on these forums are overstating problems, so don't listen to everything that's said here. I think short of the iPhone4, the G2 is the best phone you can buy right now. T-Mobile is definitely better than AT&T, so get the G2!
I had the same question, actually. Coming from a long line of WinMo phones myself (TP2 was my last phone, R.I.P) I get that Hard-SLP unlocking and shopping for custom roms is par the course since it's pretty much essential for the optimal WM experience, but coming over to Android and seeing how everyone is really bummed out that this phone can't Root..or at least, doesn't have one that stick, is really confusing, especially since the added "benefits" I've at least read about isn't all 'that' great...
Please excuse my ignorance on the matter, but coming from a mobile platform where modding/hacking is pretty much called for if you even plan to use the darn thing makes everything I'm experiencing from the stock Android a dream compared to its alternative.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
ryushe said:
I had the same question, actually. Coming from a long line of WinMo phones myself (TP2 was my last phone, R.I.P) I get that Hard-SLP unlocking and shopping for custom roms is par the course since it's pretty much essential for the optimal WM experience, but coming over to Android and seeing how everyone is really bummed out that this phone can't Root..or at least, doesn't have one that stick, is really confusing, especially since the added "benefits" I've at least read about isn't all 'that' great...
Please excuse my ignorance on the matter, but coming from a mobile platform where modding/hacking is pretty much called for if you even plan to use the darn thing makes everything I'm experiencing from the stock Android a dream compared to its alternative.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you have to remember is people will hack anything and everything, even if there's no real benefit to it. Back in the days, when G1 first came out, rooting was a big deal because it provided access to such things as apps on sd card, themes, auto-rotation, multi-touch, etc. At this point - you can get it all on stock android. Of course, there's overclocking (unnecessary on this phone), wi-fi tether (if you need it) and some further mods but it is not as critical as it used to be.
With that said... the moment permanent root is found - I'm going for it with the sole reason is because I can! Well... and because I want black notification bar
Temp root has a nice little perk.. you can restart it and it puts it back to factory if you need to have it fixed or replaced.

New To Android (Galaxy S3)

Well, I have been an iphone user for the last few years and finally made the switch. I customize everything, so I'm use to using Cydia and Winterboard. I have no idea if there is anything comparable.
So, my question is... As a beginner on this platform, where do I even start looking besides here to find out what I can do with rooting my phone, creating themes, or custom apps and tweaks.
Like I said, I'm very new too this, and have no idea where to look. I've tried searching, but some of the terms i'm not familiar with yet. The nice thing that I can see right now, is the reason's I jailbroke my iphone, the S3 does already, or I have figured out an easy alternative.
Any help in the right direction would be great! So far, I'm really glad I got rid of the iphone
splxtreme said:
As a beginner on this platform, where do I even start looking besides here to find out what I can do with rooting my phone, creating themes, or custom apps and tweaks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
XDA is probably the best source, but there are certainly plenty of other xda-like sites out there. RootzWiki is probably the biggest, but it seems like a handful of new ones pop up every day.
On top of that, I'd say try the obvious... google it! If you google something like "what can i do with my rooted android phone" you'll find a lot of good suggestions (articles by tech sites, as well as forum threads from people who have asked the same questions as you). Keep in mind though, Android advances pretty fast, and all phones are a little different so not everything you find may be relevant anymore. Example: You may find something that says screenshots are a good reason to root... but that's a standard feature now in ICS, and Samsung phones could do it all along. So just keep that in mind... some things you may find may be out of date.
Hey welcome to android. I too made the switch over a year ago and that's when I became a member here. I spent the better part of that sifting through all this site has to offer. I started with the captivate when the rooms for it were at their prime and I have upgraded to the s3. I don't know all there is to know about this stuff but I have not wrecked my phones yet. So with all that said I would recommend getting yourself familiar by reading the stickies. They some very nice tutorials. Also if your not sure about something qna section is good. Once you get the hang of all this you will see exactly why android is true open source. Jailbreaking for me got boring but rooting and flashing roms is always interesting. This site also has very friendly developers that love doing this stuff so that's also a huge help. Last but not least don't be afraid to ask. It may mean the difference between an awesome phone and nice looking paper weight from Korea
Sent from my SGH-I747M using xda app-developers app
The great thing about Android is because you can do anything on it right out of the box compared to you having to jailbreak an iphone. Id suggest just going through different apps and what not in the app store and see what catches your eye
Honestly, I would recommend that you spend some serious time getting to know android and understanding all of the capabilities of your phone before you even consider rooting it (not to mention flashing a new ROM.
I am a long time Android user that has rooted and flashed many ROM's over the years, but the S3 is so good out of the box (imho) that I personally have no need or desire to even root it at this point. That may change in the future, but that's where I stand right now.
I guess my advice would be ... don't be in a huge hurry to start making massive changes to the device until you understand what you have. No need to risk killing that shiny new toy (yet).
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
Welcome,
Another source to check out is YouTube.
You can finds videos on
How to Root, How to use Odin, How to Flash, How to use apps like Titanium Backup, Root Explorer, etc..
Also I made a reference guide in the S2 forum when I had it that explain some of the lingo around here.
Study it
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1394458
Powered by the SGSIII
Welcome. I think maybe figure out what you'd like to do that you haven't figured out yet and search on xda or even Google. Its possible you may not need to root to achieve it. I root only to restore app plus its data from one android phone to the next. Without root it only restores app so for example with games it won't restore where I left of in the other device.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

[OFFTOPIC][DISCUSSION] Your first hacking experience!

XDA Developers is a great place for people who want to put their phone to the max a.k.a HACKING!
I'm pretty sure a lot of people have hacked their phone before; rooting, download scripts, kernels, roms etc. So the purpose of this thread made is to share your hacking experience; how you started it, how did it go, what was the first thing you hacked inside your phone, did it work,did you screw up your phone etc. You should also state why you hacked and was it worth the hack. Also, another purpose of this thread is to encourage people to not be scared of hacking and try hacking their phones. (although is really up to you!)
So I shall start mine, right now!
So, after getting good results in my exam, my parents gifted me a Samsung Galaxy S Plus I9001 last year. It was one of the best smartphones I ever had(only had one....). So, the place where I bought the phone, the salesman said the phone had 1+3 years warranty. So, at that point I said to myself; I'm not going to modify,hack or install unnecessary stuff in my phone (to preserve my warranty).
Boy, was I WRONG! After I had 6 months with the phone, had a lot of apps installed and my phone began to slow down. I deleted apps by apps and still my phone was super slow. I realised, 4 years is too damn long to preserve. So, the first hack I did was rooting my phone. The reason I did that because there's this app called Screencast required me to root the phone in order to use my phone.
Of course, I was scared to hack my phone. So, I did a thorough research and go on with rooting. With enough balls and courage, I tried it. After following all the correct procedure. So, all goes down to my phone. Will it reboot or not? That's the question. So, I waited. And wait. And wait. THEN SUDDENLY, BAM! PHONE WORKS! I was so happy, there are a lot of apps that required root.
A few months later, I was a bit daring and tried to install a ROM this time (cause my friend using ICS on his S2, felt totally jealous . Also GB sucks, no offense). Opened Galaxy S Plus I9001 Android Dev page. BAM! Roms, and roms and a hell load of roms! I tried the most safest ICS ROM, Acro86's ICS CM9 ROM. Again, was scared to tried, but then again my warranty is a done deal. So I went for it. BOY IT WAS FREAKING WORTH IT. Didn't really know my phone could run ICS/JB. Phone really smooth, lots of apps I used before now is smooth. It was really worth the shot.
Long story short, You SHOULD try hacking, because you can get all the awesome stuff in your phone. I say you should try hacking because it is a load of fun!
Now, I'm currently using hypnos17's BioHazard V5 with TWRP recovery. Really nice and smooth.
So, now. What is your first hacking experience? Please share it to everyone! This thread may help a lot of people people out there! :victory: :fingers-crossed:
Acro86 CM9 ROM: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1650615
Hypnos17 Biohazard ROM: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1917906
TWRP Recovery: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1694617
Credits to the guys who made these roms! :highfive:
Nice story! Mine-
When I first got the SGS it was already a bit old, the SIII was already on the market. I heard about people upgrading their Android to something better than what the cellular company gives you, and I knew I wanted to do it. I knew nothing about it, so I went to my brother in law who also has an SGS.
He rooted my phone and installed the latest nightly version of CM9 at the time. After a while my friend also learned how to do it, so I tried CM10, CM9 again (a stable version), switched to Slim Bean, etc. One time my phone didn't boot after a flash and I thought it died, but in the end I managed to get back into CWM.
I don't think I'm going to try anymore roms (just update my Slim), because it's way too much work every time and I don't have the energy for that... So unless I find what I'm looking for in a rom (a good and fast rom, that looks like Samsung's, and one that syncs the Facebook friends with the contacts without having to use a third-party app)., I'm not going to change it again.

Ive been Really Loving my Nexus 10 but Im really need help on a couple of things

So my Grandmother wanted to give me a good present for Christmas this Year and She asked if I wanted a Ipad (I really didnt want anything, I was already pretty content overall) but she wouldnt let up about it so I figured that I didnt want to be like all the other drones in my School using only apple (nothing against apple but their hasnt been Change in their products in 5 years). I saw many adds for the Nexus 10 and its popularity so I thought I would give it a shot and if I was dissapointed I could return it to Amazon and once I did get it I was IN Love. The Nexus 10 seemed like my kind of thing and then I started reading these forums, which are FANTASTIC , but anyway i started to see many problems with the Tablet overall (Im running Stock, this forum scared me away from the update). 1st being that the light bleed is pretty bad and there are random artifacts flashing on the screen sometimes but that isnt too noticeable, 2nd being that Ive been having extreme wifi connection drops and problems connecting to my schools network and 3rd I find it really laggy sometimes especially when using it as a notetaker with my bluetooth keyboard. 4th the Microusb sucks I had to fiddle with it just to get a charge but I just took out plyers and fixed it and I am soon getting my godd*mb Pogo Pins that shouldve been there day 1.
Lately Ive been very Intrested in the Idea of rooting it and all of the other Jazz but the problem is, Im a bit of a noob when it comes to this, I really dont understand what cynagon mod does and what to download and the other things like 'Manta, Rasberry and all those other names in relationship to the tablet and rooting'. So overall I really Just want a better understanding and help on how i should procceed because I really dont want to screw this up. Help me out by making a guide or something to really show me which steps to take.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using xda app-developers app
A good place to start would be to read through the sticky threads in both developer sections. Read, and then read some more. It is way more beneficial to do that and start to figure it out on your own than to have someone tell you how to do it. We were all noobs at some point in time, but between reading, doing, asking questions, and failing, it all starts to come together. Nearly everyone here will help, but don't jump in the lake before you can swim.
That being said:
Nearly all the issues you have described can be helped, or eliminated, through flashing different roms and/or kernels. This is really a great device once you get to know it.
Happy reading, ask the right questions, and enjoy your Christmas present.
Oh yah, don't forget to read some more.
Good luck.
OH can you also explain the relationship between a unlocked bootloader and rooting and flashing a thingy mo bobber
Sent from my Nexus 10 using xda app-developers app
"Rooting" allows you to use certain programs which access the "root" of your file system, like Titanium Backup to backup your apps.
"Unlocking your bootloader" allows you to replace the stock OS (ROM) with any custom ROM you download (like cyanogenmod) which is "flashing"
As Trickster suggested, I would start by reading thru some of the posts in this sticky.
Manta = Mantaray, which is Google's developement name for the Nexus 10.
Rasbean jelly = a version of a Rom. You can see the names of roms, kernels, etc. In the name of the thread.
Cyanogen Mod = a "brand" of Rom, based off of aosp, with there own tweaks included, which make it different from stock. This one Rom is then ported to work with many different devices, in a nutshell.
Okay finnally finished the rooting process with wugs but what now
I just need to figure out the things and roms i need to download after the root

Rooting Nexus 7 any point to?

I looked around but did not really see any great point in rooting the nexus 7, it gets latest updates from google as it is. Is there any point to root like beter battery and stuff, if so what are best roms to install on it?.
Thanks
seanoneill92 said:
I looked around but did not really see any great point in rooting the nexus 7, it gets latest updates from google as it is. Is there any point to root like beter battery and stuff, if so what are best roms to install on it?.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recommend smoothrom, it's my favorite. I've been using it for months and it gets much better battery life than stock.
There are only two possibles with this question:
1) You like/love your Nexus 7 just the way it is and you're very happy with the performance and knowing it will get some official updates before most any other devices do (just like it did yesterday with 4.2.2 and it being only one of 4 devices to get it this early)
or...
2) You like/love your Nexus 7 just the way it is but you're interested in seeing just what it's really capable of because "pure stock" is never going to really show of what the Nexus 7 can do in terms of performance and even battery life.
If you're firmly situated in the type of person where #1 is absolute and true, then stick with what you've got. If you're the type of person where #2 is more akin to your interests, then obviously rooting is the way to go because it basically opens up those possibilities that "pure stock" simply can't offer.
As for what those opportunities are, well, that's why XDA- Developers exists: this forum has (according to the latest stats):
Threads: 1,724,770, Posts: 35,783,153, Members: 4,897,464, Active Members: 488,400
Suffice to say this place didn't get this popular with people running "pure stock."
And just for the record: rooting does NOT mean you must install a custom ROM or anything like it - rooting gives you the opportunity (along with unlocking the bootloader, obviously) of running custom kernels which can and do add a lot of goodies in terms of performance and battery life while still remaining with the stock ROM overall. Custom ROMs are just another bonus on top of unlocking bootloaders and rooting devices - they're not the end-all-be-all, however.
A lot of people don't quite get that so I figured I'd point it out...
If your running 4.2.2 rooting is impossible js
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Class_of_punk26 said:
If your running 4.2.2 rooting is impossible js
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No its not.
Just because you can't root and can't use Google search like the rest of us doesn't mean its impossible. It took me about 20 minutes to do it when I got it and I had no idea what I was doing. It's all because this wonderful thing we call Google search.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Thanks everyone for the replies but i decided i wont bother rooting for now since its get new updates,when that stops ile root it
My Nexus 7 was rooted successfully and I have the latest version 4.2.2
Nothing is impossible ^_^
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
I have a highly modded GNex phone and have been an active member of the Android Dev community for quite a while now. I love how I have configured my GNex and I wouldn't have it any other way.
With my N7, I just adore this thing totally stock, non-rooted, all locked-up. Not only can a stock N7 function beautifully IMO, I find that spending 0% of my time futzing with ROM selection, kernal selection, and endless tweaking allows me to dedicate 100% of my time to just enjoying and using the thing.
So, I Iike living in both worlds, on different devices, for different reasons. If you enjoy your N7 just the way it is, go grab it and enjoy it some more. That's just what I am doing. No need to question it!
That's kind of what I did as well, except the complete opposite of you. I've unlocked and rooted both my Gnex and N7, but my Gnex is stock. I left it that way so I can get the official updates, which I'm always curious about. The N7 is more like a testing tool, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

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