Motorola Moto G tips and tricks

Moto G

Moto G Tips and Tricks

Bought a Motorola Moto G? Congratulations, you’ve purchased our favourite budget phone of last year. It’s a cracker, and the best phone you can get for under £200.

However, to really get the most out of the phone you need to have a few tips and tricks up your sleeve. We’ve spent a lot of time with the phone, and here are our favourites.

How to get the Nexus 5 interface

When we upgraded to Android 4.4 on our Moto G, we half-hoped we’d get the Nexus 5’s interface. The current Nexus was the first phone to show off Android 4.4, and it has a different look to almost every other Android phone.

It’s because the Nexus 5 uses the Google Experience interface rather than the usual Android one. However, if you like the friendly, clean look of this interface you can get it on the Moto G, with a bit of fiddling.

First, you need to download a specific apk Android app file, which enables Google Experience. You’ll find it hosted by Android Police.

Either download it using your computer or do so directly on your phone. Then find it using a file browser app such as ES File Explorer, and install it. You'll need to enable installs from unknown sources in Settings > Security first.

Once installed, you’ll be given the option to either use the normal UI or the Google Experience one when you press the Home button. Select the ‘use as default’ option to continue using the new interface a bit more permanently on your Moto G.

There are also ‘home switcher’ apps available from Google Play that that let you switch between default interfaces without having to fiddle about in the Settings menu. One of them we’ve tried is – helpfully – called simply Home Switcher.

Here's what Google Experience looks like on the Moto G -

A bumper case is best for long-term protection

The Motorola Moto G is a well-made phone. However, some aspects of its build have been sacrificed in order to keep the Gorilla Glass front panel safe.

The plastic shell of the phone sticks out from the screen by a fraction of a millimetre, meaning the plastic (rather than the glass) takes the brunt of any impacts. It means the plastic screen surround is susceptible to damage – without any particular bad treatment.

To avoid this sort of damage, consider investing in a bumper-style rubber case, or Motorola’s own flip cover. This uses a front flap that should soak up some of the pressure of bumps and scrapes.

Use an app zapper for performance maintenance

One of the few weak bits of the Motorola Moto G is that it doesn’t have all that much RAM – just 1GB. Once you have a load of apps installed, many of which may be sucking up system resources in the background, the phone can start to chug a little.

In order to keep performance solid, install a task killer app that can 'force' an app to stop running. An issue with Android is that apps can end up performing activities when they shouldn’t, causing battery life and performance issues. Advanced Task Killer is an app manager we frequently return to.

App killers aren't a 'cure all' solution, but we found they're useful every now and again as a last resort.

Install Google Keyboard for gesture typing

The Motorola Moto G is one of the more up-to-date Android phones around. However, it can do with a software tweak or two fresh out of the box.

One key thing to change is the keyboard. The phone has the generic Android keyboard, which is actually a little different from the ‘Google’ keyboard available from Google Play. It doesn’t have gesture typing for one, and as such we strongly recommend switching to the Google keyboard.

To do so, head over to Google Play and get the app downloaded, go to Settings > Language & Input, make sure the check box for the Google keyboard is ticked. Then tap on Default and select the Google keyboard option to make it your go-to keyboard. Other keyboards worth checking out include Swiftkey and Touchpal.

How to fix app install parsing errors

One of the most annoying issues of the Motorola G is that some handsets suffer from a parse error that stops you from installing apps that come from anywhere but the Google Play app store. Trying to do so will result in an error message you can’t easily get around.

Some people have found that performing a factory reset on the phone solves the issue – to try this go to Settings > Backup & Reset and select Factory Data Reset.

However, we didn’t find this to be a problem-buster. A fix will come in time with a software update, but there is also a way to work around the parsing error for the time being. You can upload your .apk files to Google Drive, Google’s cloud storage service, and install them from there. There’s an app for Drive pre-installed on the Moto G.

To upload a file to Google Drive, install a file manager such as ES File Explorer, use it to locate the .apk file you downloaded. Tap the file’s entry, press the ‘More’ menu item at the bottom and then tap the Share option in the pop-up submenu. One of the options here will be Google Drive.

You don’t actually have to wait for the full file to upload. Once the upload has started, you’ll be able to install the app/game by simply tapping its entry in the Google Drive app (which you’ll be sent to upon sharing the file). You can then cancel the upload to save data.

Use HDR mode if you want half-decent photos

The Motorola Moto G’s camera is not very good. However, you can get reasonable results if you use the HDR mode. HDR stands for high dynamic range, and it uses multiple exposures merged together to produce higher-quality, more vivid shots.

To turn HDR mode on, swipe left to right on the edge of the screen when in the camera app to bring up the camera menu. There will be an HDR option within it. The downside of using HDR mode is that it’s pretty slow, requiring a couple of seconds for each shot. However, it’s pretty much the only way to produce satisfying photos with the phone.

How to transfer your old data with Motorola Migrate

Motorola Migrate is an app that lets you take content from your old phone and bung it into your new Moto G. It’s pretty clever, and very simple.

All you do is install Motorola Migrate on both phones (it comes preinstalled on the Moto G), and scan a QR code on your old phone with the new one's camera. You’ll need an internet connection, but Migrate will do the rest. It’ll give you old text messages, your contacts and even your media.

How to update to Android 4.4

Android 4.4 KitKat is already out for some versions of the Moto G, but by no means all of them. We strongly recommend waiting until the official release is available for your phone, rather than crowbarring in the update by rooting your phone.

To check if the update has been released for your particular Moto G variant, go to Settings > About Phone and tap the system updates option. This will manually search for software updates. If one is available, on-screen prompts will help you install it. Otherwise, just hang on.

Read more at http://www.trustedreviews.com/opinions/motorola-moto-g-tips-and-tricks#S2z4zu5lBT7p6xki.99

rikkster 1 month ago

Moto G, Kit Kat 4.4.2, - Was it what you hoped for? (Tips & Tricks Edition) 

The Moto G has been out for a couple of months now and we've probably received the most anticipated Android OS to date, for the Moto G. Quite surprising, when you consider some flagship devices will have to wait a short time longer to receive the Kit Kat upgrade.

I wanted to get an overall sense of what people like or dislike about the Moto G and its latest upgrade to the Kit Kat OS. Add your opinions on the device itself, battery life or device performance overall, compared to JellyBean 4.3. If you have a question or need help with your Moto G, this would be the place to ask, or you can create your own topic/question.

So, was it what you hoped for? Let's hear it!

Not to make a mountain out of a molehill, but for those Moto G Users who may have recently upgraded to Kit Kat and are experiencing the dialer/conference call issue, the solution is to obtain a new SIM card.

This isn't affecting all Moto G devices, but if your Moto G is affected and you can't wait for the update that will fix the dialer/conference call issue, you'll need to bring your device into your nearest Koodo retailer or call Customer Service/Technical Support for further assistance.

UPDATE: For users experiencing issues updating to Kit Kat 4.4.2, Motorola has halted the Kit Kat update to Motorola G devices, until they fix the dialer/conference call issue.

For any questions or for further information, please contact Customer Service at: 1-866-995-6636 or 647-788-4337

Tips & Tricks

Need a Moto G User Guide?

http://help.koodomobile.com/Portals/0...

Back Cover Removal

If removing the back cover for the first time here are some helpful pointers. The back cover can be a difficult to remove. You may need to remove the cover to install a SIM card or a different coloured cover.



Use care when prying up near the USB port. DO NOT use anything made of metal as a pry tool. Once you've started an opening, I've found that by inserting a plastic card (e.g. old bank card) or a guitar pick, will help to keep the back cover from snapping shut and makes back cover removal a little easier.

Taking screenshots with your Moto G

Press and hold both the Power + Volume Down buttons and wait (3 seconds) or until you hear a camera shutter sound. To view your screenshots, navigate to the Pictures Folder > Screenshots Folder.

Reboot - Power Off - (Soft Reset)

Press and hold the Power button for one second, when the option menu appears, selectPower Off. Another method is to hold the Power button in for 6 seconds until the device turns off. Useful if for example, an app freezes and you're not able to exit the app using normal methods. This method actually works on most, if not all Android devices.

Hard Reset - (Wipe Data/Factory Reset) 

Resetting your Moto G back to factory default is generally considered a last resort method for restoring functionality to the device. The procedure will wipe all data including contact information, photos and music. The hard reset will wipe all user apps, but if you've set up a Gmail account as your backup account, the next time you sign in to that account, your apps and contact info will be automatically restored.

Go to Settings > Backup & reset - make sure there are check marks in the boxes besideBack up my data and Automatic restore. Verify that you have an active Backup account(e.g. @gmail.com). Tap Factory data reset.

The page that shows here, will explain what will happen when you press the Reset phonebutton, it also shows which accounts you are currently signed into. Tap Reset phone and wait for the Moto G to reboot. Once rebooted the Moto G will look like it did, the first day you purchased it.

5.2 GB not enough space? 

No problem, with a universal micro USB male to female OTG cable, problem solved! I've managed to add a 2 terabyte disk drive to the Moto G! On a more practical note, USB flash drives and micro USB card readers can be attached to the USB-OTG cable, expanding previously non-existent external storage, up to 64GB.



Software may be required in order for the USB-OTG cable to detect some card readers and flash drives. Wireless storage is another option.

Want to go wireless? 

Speaking of wireless, you know those dongles for wireless keyboards and mice? Attach one to your USB-OTG cable, connect it to your Moto G and voila, you now have the ability to use a wireless mouse or keyboard with your Moto G. No setup required, it's simply plug and play. I've tested the Logitech brand of wireless dongles and they work flawlessly for wireless keyboards and mice.

Uses? It's really more a novelty than anything else, but it could be used for composing large text documents from a full size wireless keyboard. Pictures could be taken 'remotely' using the wireless mouse. What's really cool with the wireless mouse; swipe gestures are mimicked by the pointer, so swiping motions can be performed with the mouse,

Disclaimer: Use care and caution when inserting and removing USB-OTG cables. Do not transport or carry the Moto G with a USB-OTG cable installed, as damage to the USB port may occur. The Moto G isn't designed or intended for this purpose specifically, so the user accepts the risks and assumes all responsibility. I nor Koodo cannot be held responsible for damages arising from neglect or misuse.