About to get a pixel 3a XL where do i start - Google Pixel 3a XL Questions & Answers

I am about to get a pixel 3a as i was told it has a good modding scene and was wondering where to start the process when i get the phone, My endgoal is a custom Rom running that doesnt effect any of the stock features but adds a bit of personalisation and Root so i can get apps that require it
sorry if this comes across demanding im just lost in all the forums

You were horribly misinformed. The 3axl is a great phone but has little modding support compared to other phones. You basically have 2 solid custom rooms and about 3 custom kernels. I came from an n6 way back when and they're is no comparison for modding.
That said i personally believe the reason there is less modding on this phone is twofold
1) it runs really well on stock... No glaring issues that need fixing
2) this is not and never will be a nexus, the target audience is different. This is supposed to Target the audience that wants a good quality phone with a great camera and no muss no fuss.

adm1jtg said:
You were horribly misinformed. The 3axl is a great phone but has little modding support compared to other phones. You basically have 2 solid custom rooms and about 3 custom kernels. I came from an n6 way back when and they're is no comparison for modding.
That said i personally believe the reason there is less modding on this phone is twofold
1) it runs really well on stock... No glaring issues that need fixing
2) this is not and never will be a nexus, the target audience is different. This is supposed to Target the audience that wants a good quality phone with a great camera and no muss no fuss.
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If i still wanted to root the phone just for a few root apps are they supported (wifikiller, lucky patcher, greenify)
and if not how is the normal pixel 3 modding

JamBox. said:
If i still wanted to root the phone just for a few root apps are they supported (wifikiller, lucky patcher, greenify)
and if not how is the normal pixel 3 modding
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Click to collapse
I am seeing a pattern in your questions. On the 3a xl with pure stock most people can see 6 hours sot or so. With just a custom kernel some have seen 8. Thus, most, myself included, no longer mess with those programs any more.
Btw, i wouldn't mention lp again in forums you might get banned

Yeah, battery life is so stellar on this phone, don't need greenify and apps like that. I don't even check betterbatterystats anymore since I don't have battery anxiety or reason to research battery usage.
The fact that there is no working TWRP is probably the biggest reason the modding community for this phone is so limited.

DriveEuro said:
Yeah, battery life is so stellar on this phone, don't need greenify and apps like that. I don't even check betterbatterystats anymore since I don't have battery anxiety or reason to research battery usage.
The fact that there is no working TWRP is probably the biggest reason the modding community for this phone is so limited.
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I disagree. My last phone was an og pixel xl. It still had twrp far as i know and it also had fairly limited custom rom support. Either way this is a fantastic phone but may not be the right choice for a flashaholic.
This phones biggest strength is that it has great battery and camera and it just works.

Related

D851 worth getting today?

Hey guys, I'm not a must have flagship device or a crazy spender when it comes to phones. I tend to lean towards features, and developer support when it comes to phones. I'm still using the LG Optimus G e970 that I bought 2 years ago, and I think it's time for a change. The D851 has everything I'm looking for at a decent price, but I'm worried now after reading so many people are having boot loops, wifi issues, etc. Would it be a bad decision to buy this phone since it seems like it's facing a bunch of issues due to aging.
Thanks guys!
I just bought one last week. Refurbished. So far, so good. Still early to judge but this phone is so fast and smooth.
I am running stock with Marshmallow 6.0. I usually root but really I have no need to right now.
I got a mint used one with zero lemon 9k mah battery for 120, it's stock 6.0.1 rooted and debloated and works fantastic.
Thanks guys! I made the purchase with an extra battery!
Vampir1c said:
Thanks guys! I made the purchase with an extra battery!
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In my opinion, best phone for the price and features. I have had mine for nearly two years and it is still going strong. Just got a smart circle case with wireless charging and really happy with it. Developer support is also very good. I tried to run the Tmobile stock 6.0 but it was sluggish and Wifi calling could never connect. Using multirom, I can boot into LP for wifi calling if I need it. Fulmics is my main rom and I could not be happier with the features and performance.
bigcletus said:
In my opinion, best phone for the price and features. I have had mine for nearly two years and it is still going strong. Just got a smart circle case with wireless charging and really happy with it. Developer support is also very good. I tried to run the Tmobile stock 6.0 but it was sluggish and Wifi calling could never connect. Using multirom, I can boot into LP for wifi calling if I need it. Fulmics is my main rom and I could not be happier with the features and performance.
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Could you tell me if bluetooth is working on Fulmics. Thanks
mpces said:
Could you tell me if bluetooth is working on Fulmics. Thanks
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Bluetooth is working perfectly with the stock Fulmics kernel for me. I had tried a different kernel and it broke Bluetooth so I reverted back to avoid issues.
Everyone keeps talking about Fulmics.
May finally root my phone and try it!
How is the battery life?
My local store has one still BNIB collecting dust on the shelf, I didn't find out till after I got their last BNIB G4 and they didn't have any current price for it as corporate stopped updating that price list. I'm sort of thinking maybe I should have got it vs my G4 because of potential bootloop issues but my G4 was manufactured in April 2016 which is apparently after LG fixed the hardware problem. We'll see. I have half a mind to call them up tomorrow and see if I can get a current price on it.
I had a G3 on Verizon but didn't have it long enough to really make it shine. VZW installs so much freaking bloat that its kinda impossible to fairly judge a phone sometimes. Spec wise its honestly pretty close to the G4 although my G4 out of the box is the fastest phone I've had on an OEM rom and its not even close.
Definitely. I have had mine (bought it used) for 7 months now and have had no issues. I would recommend rooting and flashing a custom rom. Makes the phone so much better. It has the removable battery which is great, especially since the battery life is so-so. I can get through a whole day with it with moderate use so I guess it isn't that bad.
It's still a good phone, but look into the moto g4, double LTE speed capabilities. and double charging speed capabilities. Gotta keep up with the newest features
Sent from my LG-D851 using XDA-Developers mobile app
LG G3 vs. G4 vs. G5
After watching dozens of YouTube videos making comparisons with these three phones, the G3 is still a great phone. The fact that you can buy one new very cheaply now is a plus. I am running Marshmallow now on mine with all of the latest updates. Stock 100%, but rooted and many of the apps frozen with Titanium Backup Pro. I NEVER have an issue with my phone. Battery life is excellent, I never drop calls, Wi-Fi calling works perfectly with my cable provider's router. The G4 and G5 look great but the "new improvements" are minimal at best. The newer models will cost you hundreds more, but the bells and whistles just are not there from what I have seen. An extra physical button or two would not sway me to upgrade this phone.
How did you guys root?
panamamike said:
How did you guys root?
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you can root 30D with Kingroot to get temporary root. Then use this:http://forum.xda-developers.com/tmobile-lg-g3/development/stock-d851-30d-kdz-flashable-zips-imgs-t3367371
Pretty good.
Phone is pretty good. My main criticisms are the phones heat issue and rather dull screen. I haven't run custom ,don't know how much that helps.
Can anyone comment on what you would lose going custom ROM? Currently running stock Marshmallow 30D.
panamamike said:
Phone is pretty good. My main criticisms are the phones heat issue and rather dull screen. I haven't run custom ,don't know how much that helps.
Can anyone comment on what you would lose going custom ROM? Currently running stock Marshmallow 30D.
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Click to collapse
As for heating issues -- only one thing will make the biggest difference: lowering the screen resolution to 1080p. That made the biggest difference in the world for me. But to do that, you would need to be on an AOSP rom.
Biggest thing you lose going custom is the camera quality. As for other things, with AOSP you lose the knock code to unlock feature (only feature from LG that I miss), and the LG apps if you actually like any of them. In general, you void your warranty by rooting, and you could run into some issues with some custom roms, Most common is lack of Bluetooth functionality, although many will have it working. It is a much greater experience than stock roms in my opinion and worth the loss. Worst comes to worst, and you go on a nice vacation where you need a good camera for pictures (i.e. hiking) then you could always restore your stock OS (backup is a must in TWRP once you are rooted) and use it for the vacation time, and go back to a custom rom once it is over
Andrewoidd said:
As for heating issues -- only one thing will make the biggest difference: lowering the screen resolution to 1080p. That made the biggest difference in the world for me. But to do that, you would need to be on an AOSP rom.
Biggest thing you lose going custom is the camera quality. As for other things, with AOSP you lose the knock code to unlock feature (only feature from LG that I miss), and the LG apps if you actually like any of them. In general, you void your warranty by rooting, and you could run into some issues with some custom roms, Most common is lack of Bluetooth functionality, although many will have it working. It is a much greater experience than stock roms in my opinion and worth the loss. Worst comes to worst, and you go on a nice vacation where you need a good camera for pictures (i.e. hiking) then you could always restore your stock OS (backup is a must in TWRP once you are rooted) and use it for the vacation time, and go back to a custom rom once it is over
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the input on what's lost. I've read about the camera issue. Good to know that's the biggest difference.
Actually if you're running Marshmallow there is a game optimizer mode that will drop the screen resolution to 1080p when gaming on stock. This is where most of the heat issues occur. There's also an option to reduce the resolution to 1080p for all apps. Both options require root.
That being said, even at 1080p the phone gets hotter than it should for gaming. The only other option I've found is the hardware thermal paste mod. Not willing to try it yet.
panamamike said:
Thanks for the input on what's lost. I've read about the camera issue. Good to know that's the biggest difference.
Actually if you're running Marshmallow there is a game optimizer mode that will drop the screen resolution to 1080p when gaming on stock. This is where most of the heat issues occur. There's also an option to reduce the resolution to 1080p for all apps. Both options require root.
That being said, even at 1080p the phone gets hotter than it should for gaming. The only other option I've found is the hardware thermal paste mod. Not willing to try it yet.
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For me the phone got hot even with just multitasking. I really don't game too much and it was heating up like crazy. 1080p fixed all those issues for me. I felt as though performance was slightly better on 1400p, contrary to popular belief. The antutu score also showed that as well. Still like 1080 better though
jmacguire said:
After watching dozens of YouTube videos making comparisons with these three phones, the G3 is still a great phone. The fact that you can buy one new very cheaply now is a plus. I am running Marshmallow now on mine with all of the latest updates. Stock 100%, but rooted and many of the apps frozen with Titanium Backup Pro. I NEVER have an issue with my phone. Battery life is excellent, I never drop calls, Wi-Fi calling works perfectly with my cable provider's router. The G4 and G5 look great but the "new improvements" are minimal at best. The newer models will cost you hundreds more, but the bells and whistles just are not there from what I have seen. An extra physical button or two would not sway me to upgrade this phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love the phone too, but I don't believe there is root yet for the latest 30E update, hoping that changes soon.
Sent from my LG-D851 using XDA-Developers mobile app
I have got to say my G3 is by far the best phone I've ever owned. I'm currently running Stock rooted 30D. I was thinking about flashing Fulmics ROM, but I read about losing of Bluetooth. I connect to my TV with HDMI Slimport adapter so I can play games on the big screen with my MOGA Power Pro gamepad. So losing Bluetooth is a deal breaker.
@aclegg2011 recently posted they're testing 30e Stock rooted.
Im still new user and can't yet post link to thread. Search Username and you should find it.

New phone where to start?

Hi folks, I purchase a LG Nexux 5X and will arrive soon and was wondering where should I start modding it.
I have done several mods in other phones and on the gear 2 neo, so I know how to use odin and some adb functions.
I usually don't tamper with a new phone unless it is really slow or annoying me with some bug, but would like to know if there are some minor tweaks I can begin to tinker with that will enhance my overall experience with this phone.
Thanks in advance
Best Regards.
-Ich
Icharius said:
Hi folks, I purchase a LG Nexux 5X and will arrive soon and was wondering where should I start modding it.
I have done several mods in other phones and on the gear 2 neo, so I know how to use odin and some adb functions.
I usually don't tamper with a new phone unless it is really slow or annoying me with some bug, but would like to know if there are some minor tweaks I can begin to tinker with that will enhance my overall experience with this phone.
Thanks in advance
Best Regards.
-Ich
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Getting my Nexus 5X tomorrow but currently use a Nexus 5. With any Nexus you want to start off with setting up the Android SDK and all the Nexus drivers on your computer so if something does go south, you are ready to fix it with the factory images. The first thing I am going to do with mine is put Android N on it since I haven't had the chance to try it yet. Then root and most likely be happy with that for a while. Since Android N will probably be officially released soon, I'm sure that's when a lot of stuff will start happening around here. Hopefully Xposed will get updated to work with it. If so, that will be my setup. Stock, rooted and Xposed. That's basically what I have been running on my Nexus 5 for a while now. But if you want to try out custom ROMs, there are those too.
jsgraphicart said:
Getting my Nexus 5X tomorrow but currently use a Nexus 5. With any Nexus you want to start off with setting up the Android SDK and all the Nexus drivers on your computer so if something does go south, you are ready to fix it with the factory images. The first thing I am going to do with mine is put Android N on it since I haven't had the chance to try it yet. Then root and most likely be happy with that for a while. Since Android N will probably be officially released soon, I'm sure that's when a lot of stuff will start happening around here. Hopefully Xposed will get updated to work with it. If so, that will be my setup. Stock, rooted and Xposed. That's basically what I have been running on my Nexus 5 for a while now. But if you want to try out custom ROMs, there are those too.
Click to expand...
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Thanks for your reply. good advice to save the original rom image! I will probably root too, because I usually OC my phones hopefully that won't be so much a hassle.
If I were you, I wouldn't OC at all. Snapdragon 800 series likes to overheat and throttle itself, making it slower than usual.
Icharius said:
Hi folks, I purchase a LG Nexux 5X and will arrive soon and was wondering where should I start modding it.
I have done several mods in other phones and on the gear 2 neo, so I know how to use odin and some adb functions.
I usually don't tamper with a new phone unless it is really slow or annoying me with some bug, but would like to know if there are some minor tweaks I can begin to tinker with that will enhance my overall experience with this phone.
Thanks in advance
Best Regards.
-Ich
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the N5X for several months.
I previously had the N4, N5, and OnePlus One (still have it, wife uses it).
I used stock, I used to flash ROMs at least twice a week minimum (same on the other devices). Various ROMs, to test their performance, their tweaks, their perks, their battery life... you name it.
However, flashing ROMs and trying out various mods feels very much like living on the road with your backpack on, rather than staying at home and having a steady job. Because while flashing ROMs, you don't always re-install all the things you had (Even if you backup with Titanium Backup, as some things don't survive data restore very well). Last week I made the decision to go stock and stay stock (well, not really, I went stock Android N Preview 5, which will receive OTA to full Nugget in about a month).
I have to tell you... I don't quite feel any difference other than losing a feature or two. Speed is still great; snappiness is snappy, no bugs and no issues. It feels great even though its encypted (by default), while all this time I was certain being un-unecrypted made the device any snappier; that was just a placebo I guess.
So yeah, you can go ahead and flash a custom ROM (or many of them!), but don't do it for improved performance. Stock performance is truly awesome, and while some ROMs make it better, for sure - it's not THAT better, not in any noticeable way. Do it for features, do it for fun, do it for curiosity, DO IT! But just know the simple truth that Stock Android 6 and definitely 7 are so good and bug-less, that there is no need to get customized to resolve any bugs or performance issues; there are none.
thenessus said:
I have the N5X for several months.
I previously had the N4, N5, and OnePlus One (still have it, wife uses it).
I used stock, I used to flash ROMs at least twice a week minimum (same on the other devices). Various ROMs, to test their performance, their tweaks, their perks, their battery life... you name it.
However, flashing ROMs and trying out various mods feels very much like living on the road with your backpack on, rather than staying at home and having a steady job. Because while flashing ROMs, you don't always re-install all the things you had (Even if you backup with Titanium Backup, as some things don't survive data restore very well). Last week I made the decision to go stock and stay stock (well, not really, I went stock Android N Preview 5, which will receive OTA to full Nugget in about a month).
I have to tell you... I don't quite feel any difference other than losing a feature or two. Speed is still great; snappiness is snappy, no bugs and no issues. It feels great even though its encypted (by default), while all this time I was certain being un-unecrypted made the device any snappier; that was just a placebo I guess.
So yeah, you can go ahead and flash a custom ROM (or many of them!), but don't do it for improved performance. Stock performance is truly awesome, and while some ROMs make it better, for sure - it's not THAT better, not in any noticeable way. Do it for features, do it for fun, do it for curiosity, DO IT! But just know the simple truth that Stock Android 6 and definitely 7 are so good and bug-less, that there is no need to get customized to resolve any bugs or performance issues; there are none.
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Click to collapse
Agree. I used to root and ROM the crap out of phones but with the 5X I've stayed stock. Yeah, I see more ads now and miss Viper4Android but I spend no time F-ing with the phone and all the time just using it. No gyrations to go though to install monthly security updates or trying to get banking apps to work with root (like Android pay). Try it stock for a while.
przemcio510 said:
If I were you, I wouldn't OC at all. Snapdragon 800 series likes to overheat and throttle itself, making it slower than usual.
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I was reading that thermal problem post, it does present an issue to me because when I ride a bike I usually have the phone on the handle in a rubber case exposed to the sun and the heat that can easily reach over 35°. Thanks for the heads up.
thenessus said:
But just know the simple truth that Stock Android 6 and definitely 7 are so good and bug-less, that there is no need to get customized to resolve any bugs or performance issues; there are none.
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I hear you, I have prolonged the life of my smartphones more than it should, by tweaking and using customs roms. I have had only 2 other SP in the spam of 6 years and had never had to be subject to a phone/data plan. I just ride the wifis signal or pay per use the 3g signal. Even-thought this LG is not a big inversion in itself, I hope I can squeeze several years of it and the old practice of using custom roms, seems kind of pointless or not worth the trouble considering as you say the stock is as good.
adobeman said:
Agree. . Try it stock for a while.
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Oh I will! there's so much I can do with it as it is, it seems.

Make me feel good about my Moto Z Play purchase.

Hi all,
For about 8 years I've enjoyed having Android devices and modding them. I've been on ATT during most of that time and have gone with whatever flagship Samsung had at the time. My current device is a very dated GS5 and honestly from the locked bootloader to what I feel is disappointing hardware I decided a while ago that I would be trying a different manufacturer next. Right now ATT's android offerings are lacking to be generous. So I decided to buy the first off contract phone in a while an unlocked Moto Z Play.
I decided a long time ago that the best thing to do was purchase a flagship model no matter what but the lack of a headphone jack in the force and the battery capacity of the Play made me go this route. I don't do mobile games I just want a seamless experience from apps to browsing content heavy Internt pages.
If I do a total strip, unlock, root and flash of my Moto Z Play using a stable kernel and good ROM build will it make me feel good about my purchase?
Thanks in advance
Considering how the phone at stock is and what you want from it: "I just want a seamless experience from apps to browsing content heavy Internt pages", how is it not performing that?
Your post is very confusing. Other than it not being a "Flagship" phone, you offer no actual issues you are having with the z Play. Here's what I like about The Z Play. Like you, I only ever had Flagship Sammys. My last 2 Were Note 7. After I returned it I decided to get this phone to hold me over until the Note 8. This battery is insane. Yesterday I had almost 7 hours of SOT and the battery was at 50%, the screen brightness at 50% as well . Other than heavy gaming, there's no noticeable difference in the chip performance from the 820 in the Flagship phones. The stock system /UI takes a little bit to get used to if you had one of the more recent Samsung phones, which you haven't. The battery mod I got with this phone is great for a little extra juice on the rare occasions I need it. Overall, this is a solid phone with a great price tag.
Unless you have a particular need for a root-required feature (ad blocking options, certain apps) or you aren't willing to wait a little bit for Nougat, you probably will lose more than you gain by rooting and romming. Unlock kills your warranty, and depending on where you go ROM wise, you'll lose Android pay and anything else that requires safety net, unless you go one of the few routes that seem to support magisk.
Performance wise there doesn't appear to be much gain at this point, and if you go to a non stock based custom ROM, you may have camera issues, and you definitely lose Moto mod support.
The stock ROM on this phone is pretty clean, just includes the Moto stuff that is pretty functional for minimal overhead for most people, and you can always turn it off if you don't like it. Throwing in an SD card more than makes up for the small amount of extra storage you gain from a mild debloat.
Based on your post, I didn't see anything that indicates you would benefit from root and ROM. Keep it stock. It's awesome.
The MZP is a great performer and everything is smooth, except demanding 3d games (regular 3d games are just fine). Don't recommend messing with the firmware
Also, wait till you see how long it goes on a charge
It's the most powerful 32-bit phone ever.
Judging by the tone of some people I guess I stepped on some toes. I'm sorry if my post triggered you.
I don't even have the phone yet so yeah, maybe it'll be everything and more I could ever dream of in a device right out of the box. Who knows.
Thanks to the folks who provided some helpful info I very much appreciate it.
adam_l_c said:
Judging by the tone of some people I guess I stepped on some toes. I'm sorry if my post triggered you.
I don't even have the phone yet so yeah, maybe it'll be everything and more I could ever dream of in a device right out of the box. Who knows.
Thanks to the folks who provided some helpful info I very much appreciate it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You will not be disappointed. This is the first phone I have where I don't really see the need to change anything. Buttery smooth, great battery out of the box and it has nougat already.
Maybe root to install adaway but i now use dns66 thanks to whoever recommend it to me a few days back and that too is gone.
I'm used to owning Nexus phones.
The Moto Z play combines raw Android along with Moto actions which are pretty great. It's a premium feel, build and design. I average between 10-14 hours SOT....The battery life is untouchable
vietkao said:
Maybe root to install adaway but i now use dns66 thanks to whoever recommend it to me a few days back and that too is gone.
Click to expand...
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It was me. Glad to hear it is working fine for you.
There are still two points which make rooting advantageous if you are not interested in modifying the system. First is, backup is difficult if you have no access to your own data stored by the apps. There is a way (adb), but it is not that convenient compared with Titanium backup. Second is, if you copy or move files, the timestamp can't be kept without root. You can't sort files by age once you move them, and syncing and revision control gets more difficult.
@adam-l-c I'd also say stripping should be done carefully if it is really seen as necessary. There often are services waiting for another service. If you only disable or remove one service and don't recognize the dependant, it may cause system load. You seem to have an idea what you're doing, so I wish you good luck and would be glad to hear what you find is really worth disabling. The device is working smooth as it is, at least for me (still using Marshmallow).
Believe it or not I gave my unlocked pixel XL to my wife and took her Moto z play. I needed proper ms exchange services that AOSP doesn't have. Nougat would be nice. The pixel camera is slightly better. The z is pretty heavy but built like a tank. Typical Moto. I don't notice the lower res screen or slower processor. I live in a world of good enough apparently.
tag68 said:
It was me. Glad to hear it is working fine for you.
There are still two points which make rooting advantageous if you are not interested in modifying the system. First is, backup is difficult if you have no access to your own data stored by the apps. There is a way (adb), but it is not that convenient compared with Titanium backup. Second is, if you copy or move files, the timestamp can't be kept without root. You can't sort files by age once you move them, and syncing and revision control gets more difficult.
@adam-l-c I'd also say stripping should be done carefully if it is really seen as necessary. There often are services waiting for another service. If you only disable or remove one service and don't recognize the dependant, it may cause system load. You seem to have an idea what you're doing, so I wish you good luck and would be glad to hear what you find is really worth disabling. The device is working smooth as it is, at least for me (still using Marshmallow).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ADB backup does not work on the lastest Moto phones, AFAICT. Ditto Helium which is just a front end for same. ADB disable apps quit working with one of our patches, December I think, VZW anyway.
TY for DNS66 mention.
To Op,
Moto pulled a whopper on this phone. While the screen brightness is better for daylight viewing on the sisters and they have VR and better gaming. Yet I would not trade to those.
adam_l_c said:
Judging by the tone of some people I guess I stepped on some toes.
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You're not stepping on anyone's toes. Sounds like you're a bit sensitive.. People are just saying how good the phone is and I agree with them.
It's fast, battery life is damn good, and Moto actions are pretty awesome.
Nice performance
Awesome battery life
Gaming is also fine

Is there less development for the Pixel (than Nexus devices)?

I was surprised to notice that there is no official version of Lineage OS for the Pixel. Then looking around it just seems like there aren't that many ROMs for the Pixel. And I'm surprised to see that a year after release there still seem to be difficulties with root and using TWRP.
Am I right in perceiving that the Pixel has gotten less development interest than Nexus devices of the past? If so, why?
I ordered a Pixel 2 (to replace my Nexus 4--which has offical lineage support) and was assuming that it would get all the usual developer love that I've exeperienced in the past. Now I'm a bit worried that it will be difficult just to root it and do nandroid backups.
Thanks for any thoughts and observations.
I think they are having issues with the increased security and dual OS partitions. Will take some time.
scottjal said:
I think they are having issues with the increased security and dual OS partitions. Will take some time.
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Click to collapse
Yeah, I saw that the dual partitions are an issue and the dm-verity check (don't quite understand what that is). But still, the Pixel has been out for a year. Nexus phones usually had tons of development by that point. I imagine if the devs were really into this phone there would be more interest. Especially the lack of official Lineage OS support, the most fundamental of all ROMs. There are unofficial versions of Lineage OS for the Pixel, so it works. I guess that's why I was starting to get the impression that the Pixel is not that popular with the devs (compared to past Nexus devices).
Price doesn't help either, I'm less likely to mess with a phone that costs a grand. Also prices it out of the hands of those that just want to tinker.
I also wonder how much baseline performance plays a role. The Pixel is really quite great out of the box, it's the first phone I've owned in recent times that I haven't had the desire to root, mod, rom, etc. custom roms are generally known to improve the end user experience, can't say that has been my experience on the Pixel and that's a big reason why I've decided stock is best for me.
mlin said:
I also wonder how much baseline performance plays a role. The Pixel is really quite great out of the box, it's the first phone I've owned in recent times that I haven't had the desire to root, mod, rom, etc. custom roms are generally known to improve the end user experience, can't say that has been my experience on the Pixel and that's a big reason why I've decided stock is best for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me ROMs have never been about performance, they are about features. They often have more privacy features and remove some of the pernicious behind the scenes stuff. There are more options for quick settings tiles. You can control the notification LED better. I don't want a total makeover; I'm happy with basically stock Android. But there are a lot of little things that are improvements to me. I guess this is why I especially like Lineage OS, since it is not a heavily modified OS. Also you sometimes get updates for security problems sooner (the once a month standard from Google is pretty lame--in Linux security patches are pushed out the day they are ready). As for rooting, it lets you use the iptables firewall in the Linux kernel and programs like adaway, as well as a root file manager (there are many times I find it useful to browse the system files); there is Titanium backup that is so much more powerful than any other backup tool that requires root; and a rooted device can also often get around issues with tethering. And having a custom recovery like TWRP allows nandroid backups, which have saved me from disaster so many times. So I think even on a phone like the Pixel, there's a lot to be gained from ROMs, rooting, minor mods, a custom recovery.
Anyway, I guess maybe it is just about the cost of the Pixel. Or perhaps the complexity of the dual partitions--are the Pixel phones the only ones that do this? I wonder what new phones get the most developer attention these days, if it's not the Pixels.
No, there's significantly less development, regardless of what a few users say (when I mentioned it a week ago after coming from a 6P, people were shocked when I said there's no development lol). I had to point out that 5 ROMs does not even compare to the 30 ROMs of the 6P.
At first, the pixel seemed like a downgrade to me. But after using it a week or so, it is a little smoother I got, and has better battery life, which is awesome. But those are about the only pros. Camera on mine is the same quality as the 6P, and I can't get used to the crappy downfiring speakers (last 2 devices had dual front facing).
All in all, it's an ok phone. It's about 2" taller than it should be, due to Google love affair with gigantic bezels. Haha. But sometimes using a bezeless phone one handed if tough, because your thumb can't reach the navbar.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
cb474 said:
For me ROMs have never been about performance, they are about features. They often have more privacy features and remove some of the pernicious behind the scenes stuff. There are more options for quick settings tiles. You can control the notification LED better. I don't want a total makeover; I'm happy with basically stock Android. But there are a lot of little things that are improvements to me. I guess this is why I especially like Lineage OS, since it is not a heavily modified OS. Also you sometimes get updates for security problems sooner (the once a month standard from Google is pretty lame--in Linux security patches are pushed out the day they are ready). As for rooting, it lets you use the iptables firewall in the Linux kernel and programs like adaway, as well as a root file manager (there are many times I find it useful to browse the system files); there is Titanium backup that is so much more powerful than any other backup tool that requires root; and a rooted device can also often get around issues with tethering. And having a custom recovery like TWRP allows nandroid backups, which have saved me from disaster so many times. So I think even on a phone like the Pixel, there's a lot to be gained from ROMs, rooting, minor mods, a custom recovery.
Anyway, I guess maybe it is just about the cost of the Pixel. Or perhaps the complexity of the dual partitions--are the Pixel phones the only ones that do this? I wonder what new phones get the most developer attention these days, if it's not the Pixels.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While custom ROMs may not be about performance to you, I know that it is to others. I think there are a lot of variables at play, and I don't discount the out of the box experience as one of them. Take that custom ROMs are prone to decreased stability, especially with the Pixel and the argument for advantages of custom ROMs gets diminished fairly quickly. Unless of course you must have all the frivolous tweaks at the cost of stability and performance.
mlin said:
I also wonder how much baseline performance plays a role. The Pixel is really quite great out of the box, it's the first phone I've owned in recent times that I haven't had the desire to root, mod, rom, etc. custom roms are generally known to improve the end user experience, can't say that has been my experience on the Pixel and that's a big reason why I've decided stock is best for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, this phone is pretty hard to improve on. I'm missing all the flashing and tweaking but I'm coming to the conclusion that stock is the ticket. The stock firmware doesn't feel like a compromise anymore, it feels like it works best. With payment via phone and bank accounts on board, security is also an issue I've not worried about before but I guess I need to deal with.
mlin said:
While custom ROMs may not be about performance to you, I know that it is to others. I think there are a lot of variables at play, and I don't discount the out of the box experience as one of them. Take that custom ROMs are prone to decreased stability, especially with the Pixel and the argument for advantages of custom ROMs gets diminished fairly quickly. Unless of course you must have all the frivolous tweaks at the cost of stability and performance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't say no one cares about performance. In fact, I only said that there are a lot of things ROMs do other than performance, so even if that issue is less with a phone like the Pixel, it hardly negates the many and varied reasons that people like ROMs. So I was just suggesting that reducing it all to performance as the fundamental issue, I think, oversimplifies how varied and complicated the custom ROM community of users and devs is.
Anyway, my main question in the OP wasn't really why do people like or dislike custom ROMs, nor was it do they think they are unnecessary for the Pixel. My main question was, do people think my perception is correct that devs are less interested in the Pixel than in past Nexus phones?
Personally, I believe not all developers are created equal. The pixel design and new os introduced complexities beyond the abilities of the cut and paste developer. The truly talented developers are either still hard at work or have concluded, no not worth it.
Who knows?
There are many roms out there. There are just not on xda anymore.
Development is just so much harder on the pixel, so we need to wait till the first running custom rom is out there so the other devs can pick from there. It's already been working hard on it.
Development is not so high cause a dev need the device and not every dev has the money to buy a 1000 $ device every year.
Hopefully some developers fell into some pixels when Google started giving them out as replacements for 6Ps. We'll have to wait and see.
I still suck at G+. I can't get the hang of how to search it for roms, or even how to actually get the rom, when I know a developer has one on their page. I wish Google could have tried out the service before they released it, maybe they would have noticed how difficult it can be - or maybe it's just the developers and how they organize their page...who knows.
Sent from my SM-T330 using Tapatalk

I recently posted about my needs for a new phone, would the oneplus 5t be a good fit?

https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=75319989&postcount=10806
That's where I put my list of needs/wants.
Is there anything you don't like about owning this phone? How is the camera, especially on rooted/custom roms?
Any help appreciated.
Side question - is this phone available for a discount anywhere? Why are so many being sold on ebay for the same price as brand new from the oneplus site?
NexusLush said:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=75319989&postcount=10806
That's where I put my list of needs/wants.
Is there anything you don't like about owning this phone? How is the camera, especially on rooted/custom roms?
Any help appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Everything you have listed is covered by the 5T except wireless charging and waterproof. Without wireless charging I don't see the negative as the phone hash Dash charge which gets you from 0% to 60% in 30 minutes and to full battery in under an hour. The battery life on stock or beta is impressive. I am a heavy user and I get an average of 7hrs daily.
The custom ROM development for the 5T is great. At the moment I am on open beta 2 but I have rooted and tried several different ROMS with LiquidRemix being the best for me. The camera on ROMS is not exceptional because the drivers are proprietary which makes it difficult to get the camera as good as stock or a with all stock camera features. Having said that the camera on stock has it's downfalls anyway.
I am delighted after the first two months of owning my 128GB/8GB OP5T. I just love it and it is excellent value for money. I hope that helps you decide :good:
jd1001 said:
Everything you have listed is covered by the 5T except wireless charging and waterproof. Without wireless charging I don't see the negative as the phone hash Dash charge which gets you from 0% to 60% in 30 minutes and to full battery in under an hour. The battery life on stock or beta is impressive. I am a heavy user and I get an average of 7hrs daily.
The custom ROM development for the 5T is great. At the moment I am on open beta 2 but I have rooted and tried several different ROMS with LiquidRemix being the best for me. The camera on ROMS is not exceptional because the drivers are proprietary which makes it difficult to get the camera as good as stock or a with all stock camera features. Having said that the camera on stock has it's downfalls anyway.
I am delighted after the first two months of owning my 128GB/8GB OP5T. I just love it and it is excellent value for money. I hope that helps you decide :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually ended up ordering it a few hours after posting this. For 559 USD delivered I really can't find a better value out there. I'd rather have a Pixel 2 XL for the same price, but unfortunately, it costs almost double.
It sounds like this will be a great phone, as the more I read about it the more people seem to rave about it. In terms of camera speed and photo/video quality, do you recommend a custom rom or going stock/beta and simply rooting?
NexusLush said:
I actually ended up ordering it a few hours after posting this. For 559 USD delivered I really can't find a better value out there. I'd rather have a Pixel 2 XL for the same price, but unfortunately, it costs almost double.
It sounds like this will be a great phone, as the more I read about it the more people seem to rave about it. In terms of camera speed and photo/video quality, do you recommend a custom rom or going stock/beta and simply rooting?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool, enjoy the phone!
I would stay stock and root. That is what I find myself doing for the camera. Then from time to time I flash ROMS to see how everything is but so far I have no come across a custom ROM with a camera as good as stock. OnePlus Beta 2 is pretty rock solid as well with great battery life. In terms of the best custom ROM imo it is LiquidRemix.
jd1001 said:
Everything you have listed is covered by the 5T except wireless charging and waterproof. Without wireless charging I don't see the negative as the phone hash Dash charge which gets you from 0% to 60% in 30 minutes and to full battery in under an hour. The battery life on stock or beta is impressive. I am a heavy user and I get an average of 7hrs daily.
The custom ROM development for the 5T is great. At the moment I am on open beta 2 but I have rooted and tried several different ROMS with LiquidRemix being the best for me. The camera on ROMS is not exceptional because the drivers are proprietary which makes it difficult to get the camera as good as stock or a with all stock camera features. Having said that the camera on stock has it's downfalls anyway.
I am delighted after the first two months of owning my 128GB/8GB OP5T. I just love it and it is excellent value for money. I hope that helps you decide :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
jd1001 said:
Cool, enjoy the phone!
I would stay stock and root. That is what I find myself doing for the camera. Then from time to time I flash ROMS to see how everything is but so far I have no come across a custom ROM with a camera as good as stock. OnePlus Beta 2 is pretty rock solid as well with great battery life. In terms of the best custom ROM imo it is LiquidRemix.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you see any issues with the beta so far? I'll probably have to read the thread... I also want to do something I've never done before: Make a full, complete off the phone backup of the way it is when I first get it.
NexusLush said:
Do you see any issues with the beta so far? I'll probably have to read the thread... I also want to do something I've never done before: Make a full, complete off the phone backup of the way it is when I first get it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah always good to do a backup.
I have not encountered one single issue with the OB1 or 2 betas but do read through the thread to see for yourself :good:

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