2 weeks with the Nexus 5 and a couple of questions

[Marute]

Hi everyone. I've had my Nexus 5 for about 2 weeks and I can say I am more than pleased. It's my first Android device. Great device for a great price - even today a little less than a year after release.

As the title says, I have a few questions that I was hoping you could help me with.

1. Why are there 2 gallery apps? What is the difference exactly and which one do you suggest I use?

2. What determines which colour the LED indicator uses? Snapchat is yellow, Facebook messages are green, so is my SMS app (Textra) because it gave me an option to choose, standard notifications are white. Is there a way to play with these settings?

3. Is there a way to make the LED indicator light flash when the phone is done charging?

4. Is there such a thing as an app that allows me to make automatic settings that change by time and in specific time periods? For instance, I could have it turn silent while in class, in the night and so on.

5. How much battery does the phone use while "Dreaming"? Currently, I've set it to dream while charging using the DashClock Widget in night mode (minimum light) because I like the info on the screan and the easy tap to wake functionality that gives me. Does this slow the charging process?

6. While dreaming, the screen will be black (except for the DashClock widget text flowing around) but not dead. Will this permanent blackness for 2 hours while charging damage the screen over time?

7. Is there a way to automatically close apps running in background, say when they haven't been used for a while?

8. Can you recommend an app for some great backgrounds for the nexus 5? Some great live backgrounds you can recommend?

9. Is there a way to make Google Now stop using my location but without turning it off? I ask because I would like to get some train information from Google Now. But if I tell it I live where I live, it will constantly tell me the bike route to the station obscuring the train time information, which is idiotic because I know that 8 minute bike trip like my own pocket. If I tell Google Now I live at the station itself, it will tell me how to get from where I am (my actual home) to "Home" (the train station), once again not showing me what I actually want to know: when the train leaves and if they are running late. This issue has actually caused Google Now to be quite useless for me and I am considering turning it off as it does nothing for me that my other apps don't do.

10. Is there a widget which shows notifications like the notification centre does?

11. Does installing other launchers and or icon packs require rooting (of which I know nothing) or is it simply download, install, activate?

12. When is Android L expected?

Thanks a lot

 

[AndroidIsMyThing]

I can help you with a few of these.
2. There is an app out there that allows you to control the led color. Just search for it in the play store and you will find one. Here is one I found in a quick search: https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...nsulting.android.lightflowlite&token=1-SSI7HW

4. There are a few automation apps out there. You can try if this then that, which is a free app but is not too advanced, or you can try taster, which will cost you and is a little more advanced, but you can control nearly everything.

5. Dreaming will use some power, so charging will be slowed a bit, but that should be ok if you charge at night. If you want it to stop dreaming once while it's charging, simple press the power button and the screen will turn off.

8. Galaxy pack, or any of the free Galaxy apps are great live backgrounds. They look really cool, and the paid one is customizable

9. For Google now, do not stop using it. It can be very helpful, you just have to train it. When it gives you the bike route, simply swipe the card away. It will learn that you don't want it. You may also be able to tell it that you don't want the card by pressing the three vertical dots on the card. To get train info, buy tickets online. If you receive emails from these purchases, Google now will see them and display the arrival/departure time etc.

11. Nope, no rooting required! You simply install the launcher. You can always change back to your default launcher by going to settings>home>stock launcher. I recommend nova launcher, as it has a wide range of free, customizable options like dock size, color, how many apps fit on the home screen, how the background moves when you swipe, etc.

12. It is rumored to come out some time in November.

Hope I helped!

 

[Marute]

Great thanks a lot! I will give Google Now a second change. Can you install icon packs on stock android without a custom launcher?

 

[AndroidIsMyThing]

No, the stock android launcher does not have the ability to add icon packs. You will have to get a different one.

 

[RizaHawkeye]

Great thanks a lot! I will give Google Now a second change. Can you install icon packs on stock android without a custom launcher?

The Google Now Launcher doesn't support icon packs. Blur is a launcher that is just like the Google Now Launcher but with customization, like icon packs. But yes, you can install icon packs with other launchers that support them.