New Moto E 2015 (AT&T/Cricket) Owner, Couple of Questions

[larrytxeast]

I picked up a Moto E 2015 GoPhone, to use on my Cricket account, at Best Buy for $75 today. They didn't have a case, but as it turns out I had bought a Moto G (1st edition?) case sometime back, thinking I was going to buy a G (but didn't), and that case fit the E 2015 almost perfectly--so I'll have protection until the case I ordered arrives.

I'd actually been eyeing higher models, like the G 2015, as I recently owned the Galaxy S5, but I can't decide what I want (Zenfone 2, Moto G 2G RAM model, Moto X Pure when it comes out, Nexus 5 2013, a number of ideas), and I was not really digging the ZTE Maven I was hobbling around on, so I got this to hobble around on while I make up my mind and save up my money; at least I'd have something smooth and decent.

So far I like it pretty good. It's smooth and not prone to hard core lag, and continues so with me now having updated to 5.1. There's nothing really to say in detail other than it just works. Most notably, unlike a ZTE Grand X Max + phablet I recently owned, it gets consistent service where I live even if only with 1-2 bars, the S5 also did, so did the ZTE Maven, but that ZTE Grand X Max + had a devil of a time doing anything here. No so with this E.

One question I have--I noticed the screen "wakes up" if I pick it up, but no matter what I tap or press, I can't get it to go from there, I instead have to press the power button the same as if it hadn't waken up to begin with. What should I be tapping or pressing?

Also, 2 apps I have installed for "timed profiles" now don't work on this phone as they had on the others. What setting (priority notifications?) could be set which is overriding those apps turning off the sounds?

 

[Ian Morgan2]

I don't know much 'bout GoPhone and Cricket here in GB.....I got a Moto E 2nd Gen 2015 earlier in the year...SIM free...and still on 5.0.2....even so, if I open the case or go near it while charging, the screen "wakes up".....I too have to press the power button to go from there.
I'm not sure from reading your post whether you've already checked out the following :-
As regards the 2 apps for special attention.....it might be worth lookin' at Settings/Sound & notification / App notification...then tap on the app to see the Blocked/Priority toggles.

 

[Fred Talmadge]

I'm on 5.1 with Verizon and I have to push the button. It's a feature to keep you from "pocket dialling"

 

[larrytxeast]

I've had it for a couple of more days and can comment more on the 2 questions.

If the phone "senses" you picking it up and turns on the clock and shows the padlock icon you can drag this icon down to get to the unlock screen (in my case, drawing a pattern) and you don't have to press the power button. You may also have other icons like email etc, you can double tap it and after unlocking it will take you to that application. Either way, I like this, it means you often don't have to press the power button to wake the phone up.

The second question--the timed profiles apps I use, on this phone they put the phone in "priority notifications" mode, so if you have any alerts (like calls) set to alert you even in silent-vibrate mode, they will. This at first upset me, I thought I'd have to manually put the phone in silent mode using other means and lose an easy means of having timed periods of silence through the apps I've always used. That's not the case, simply turn off the "exceptions" in priority mode and it works effectively the same as before with other phones. (My ZTE Maven, despite having Android 5.1, doesn't seem to have the Lollipop "priority" features.)

 

[Ian Morgan2]

Glad to read you got it all sorted for yourself. Just thought.....have you got Moto Help on the phone....the big "?" in amongst your app icons ? It is quite comprehensive and explanatory....various "how to" tutorials included.

 

[larrytxeast]

Glad to read you got it all sorted for yourself. Just thought.....have you got Moto Help on the phone....the big "?" in amongst your app icons ? It is quite comprehensive and explanatory....various "how to" tutorials included.

No I hadn't done that. I may, although at this point I've figured out enough to be OK for the moment. (This article helped a bit with the priority notifications aspect of things.) As much as I like this phone as 4.5" devices go, I'm ultimately going to want something in 5" or even 5.5" land, I'm debating between the Moto G 2015 and Asus Zenfone 2 (either one the 2G RAM model). The smoothness of this one makes me lean towards the G, although the 5.5" LCD and good reviews of the Asus interest me.