Considering getting a G2 - a few questions

[Prash7]

Hey guys,

I'm looking into getting a G2 (from my N4). I love the gorgeous screen, camera and battery. Those are the biggest pluses for me. Especially the battery.

This things I'm worried about are really all software things. My friend has a G2 and seriously, I really hate the LG stock UI - I think it's ugly. It's not that dev friendly, either. He managed to soft brick it twice (admittedly, his fault).

I'd change ROMs, but I'd miss some of the features, I guess. My questions are:

• Will installing a custom ROM allow for KnockOn?
• Any KitKat ROMs out there for the G2?
• Will I be able to use Xposed + GravityBox with these ROMs? Or, could I use anything similar with the stock LG UI to change it around? I don't mind the menus and stuff, I can get a different launcher, but the notification shade is super ugly.
• If I install a custom ROM, will the third-party camera app still perform just as well as the stock? Will the IR blaster still work?

All this on the international version btw (UK). Tinkering is pretty important for me coming from a Nexus device.

Appreciate any help,
Thanks!

EDIT: Also, any way to get something similar to a stock Android notification shade/quick settings pull down on stock LG UI?

 

[acejavelin]

Hey guys,

I'm looking into getting a G2 (from my N4). I love the gorgeous screen, camera and battery. Those are the biggest pluses for me. Especially the battery.

This things I'm worried about are really all software things. My friend has a G2 and seriously, I really hate the LG stock UI - I think it's ugly. It's not that dev friendly, either. He managed to soft brick it twice (admittedly, his fault).

I'd change ROMs, but I'd miss some of the features, I guess. My questions are:

• Will installing a custom ROM allow for KnockOn?
• Any KitKat ROMs out there for the G2?
• Will I be able to use Xposed + GravityBox with these ROMs? Or, could I use anything similar with the stock LG UI to change it around? I don't mind the menus and stuff, I can get a different launcher, but the notification shade is super ugly.
• If I install a custom ROM, will the third-party camera app still perform just as well as the stock? Will the IR blaster still work?

All this on the international version btw (UK). Tinkering is pretty important for me coming from a Nexus device.

Appreciate any help,
Thanks!

EDIT: Also, any way to get something similar to a stock Android notification shade/quick settings pull down on stock LG UI?

I have both, N4 and G2... Here's my 2 cents worth.

The UI isn't as bad as it seems, it seems so at first but it grows on you. Its fast and has everything you need. Root, Xposed framework, and a few mods can get it really decent.

Knock off is a launcher thing, ROM/kernel is irrelevant, no LG Launcher, no Knock Off. That said, you can setup Nova to sleep on double tapping the notification bar, but most people seem to just set a ring target to sleep... Swipe up from bottom of screen and it sleeps. Knock On is a kernel thing, most all ROM/kernel combinations have this working.

Lots of KitKat ROMs, seriously, probably 50+... Although depending on variant, the latest OTA may not be supported yet (mostly Verizon).

You can mod the notification shade with a handful of different Xposed mods, giving it a near AOSP experience on stockish ROMs.

Third party cameras are hit and miss, xdadebs is probably the best and way better than stock, although it isn't compatible with most 3rd party ROMs. Google's new camera is pretty sweet though and supports the G2's higher resolution modes now.

The stock LG IR control is flashable on AOSP ROMs and works fine.

Coming from a Nexus, I have a few comments... First, this is no Nexus device, it is much harder to customize and mod, but not impossible, expect hacks and non official binaries just to something simple like restore to factory ROM image. It is a closed device, custom recovery is tough too, still not 100%.

This is more personal, but the screen is too big... I didn't think so at first, but its just to hard to use one handed, and I have big hands. Still, a minor price to pay for the battery life for most people but I use my N4 for most stuff just cause its easier to use.

Honesty for the money, assuming you have to pay retail, the Moto X GPE, Nexus 5, or Oppo Find 5 is better. If it's subsidized, well its pretty darn good deal.


Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[Megaroad]

most people seem to just set a ring target to sleep...

How do you customize the ring targets? I've been wanting to do that, because right now swiping up just gives me the options of Google Now and the LG qnote thing, and I don't anticipate using the latter much. Do I need root/Xposed to customize that?

 

[acejavelin]

How do you customize the ring targets? I've been wanting to do that, because right now swiping up just gives me the options of Google Now and the LG qnote thing, and I don't anticipate using the latter much. Do I need root/Xposed to customize that?

On CM/AOSP ROMs... Never have been able to figure out how to do it in the stock rom

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[Prash7]

I have both, N4 and G2... Here's my 2 cents worth.

The UI isn't as bad as it seems, it seems so at first but it grows on you. Its fast and has everything you need. Root, Xposed framework, and a few mods can get it really decent.

Knock off is a launcher thing, ROM/kernel is irrelevant, no LG Launcher, no Knock Off. That said, you can setup Nova to sleep on double tapping the notification bar, but most people seem to just set a ring target to sleep... Swipe up from bottom of screen and it sleeps. Knock On is a kernel thing, most all ROM/kernel combinations have this working.

Lots of KitKat ROMs, seriously, probably 50+... Although depending on variant, the latest OTA may not be supported yet (mostly Verizon).

You can mod the notification shade with a handful of different Xposed mods, giving it a near AOSP experience on stockish ROMs.

Third party cameras are hit and miss, xdadebs is probably the best and way better than stock, although it isn't compatible with most 3rd party ROMs. Google's new camera is pretty sweet though and supports the G2's higher resolution modes now.

The stock LG IR control is flashable on AOSP ROMs and works fine.

Coming from a Nexus, I have a few comments... First, this is no Nexus device, it is much harder to customize and mod, but not impossible, expect hacks and non official binaries just to something simple like restore to factory ROM image. It is a closed device, custom recovery is tough too, still not 100%.

This is more personal, but the screen is too big... I didn't think so at first, but its just to hard to use one handed, and I have big hands. Still, a minor price to pay for the battery life for most people but I use my N4 for most stuff just cause its easier to use.

Honesty for the money, assuming you have to pay retail, the Moto X GPE, Nexus 5, or Oppo Find 5 is better. If it's subsidized, well its pretty darn good deal.


Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Thank you for that

The screen size is a little on the big size, but having used my friend's, I think it's something I can get used to.

As far as cost goes, the G2, Moto X and Nexus 5 all cost pretty much exactly the same for me unlocked in the UK, all around ?300. (Moto X is ?270).

 

[Megaroad]

Thank you for that

The screen size is a little on the big size, but having used my friend's, I think it's something I can get used to.

As far as cost goes, the G2, Moto X and Nexus 5 all cost pretty much exactly the same for me unlocked in the UK, all around ?300. (Moto X is ?270).

Unless having a stock android UI is a priority, I'd go with the G2 due to battery life.

 

[Prash7]

Unless having a stock android UI is a priority, I'd go with the G2 due to battery life.

That was the reasoning for going with my current Nexus and why I'm a little bit on the fence for the G2. I went ahead and ordered one on Amazon (next day delivery ftw) - hope I can customise LG's interface to make it a little easier on the eye!

 

[frettfreak]

I had some concerns however, after actually getting the device and using it, I find it awesome! Even the stock ui is actually pretty well done (i thought before I used it that it was a crappy touchwiz knock off but it's SO much better than tw) good luck. I think you will like your new phone,

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Prash7]

I got it today and I love it. I just don't love getting all my **** from my old phone onto the new one

 

[somnambulator]

g3 was just announced

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