Recently many android phone users have reported that the 'Touch to search' option is missing from their chrome browser. The 'Touch to search' option allows anyone to search for a word, phrase or a sentence by just long tapping it. This can be done without closing the current tab. This feature was present in chrome for android since March 2015 but recently it has disappeared from many android phones. It is still working on some phones. Nexus smartphone owners have also reported on their phones.
How To Get Back 'Touch To Search' In Chrome For Android
If you are unable to see this useful feature on your chrome browser then following the tips below will solve the problem.
Open chrome and type 'chrome://flags/#contextual-search'.
You will see 'Enable Contextual Search' highlighted in yellow color.
Tap 'Default' and select 'Enabled'. Then tap 'RELAUNCH NOW'.
Now go to 'Settings>Privacy', scroll down a little bit and check that 'Touch to search' should be 'On'
This trick will work on chrome beta, standard and developer versions.
It seems that Motorola is giving a Christmas gift to the users of Moto G (3rd Gen) by rolling out the android 6.0 Marshmallow update. The update has been released to the unlocked version of Moto G 2015 XT1540 in North America and Canada. The new software version is '24.11.25.en.US' and the update weighs nearly 460 MB which is not a big deal to download over Wi-Fi. However currently we are not posting the release notes but once they are available we will notify you. Currently, we can only show you the glimpse of what will be the new features in the android 6.0 Marshmallow for the Moto G (3rd Gen).
What's New In Android 6.0 For The Moto G 2015
You will get all the features of android M after installing it on your Moto G 2015. The most interesting features of this new OS include the ability to use the external sd cards as internal storage. It is a useful feature that is also very useful for the users of the 8 GB Moto G3 model. The second feature is the 'Permission Control'. Now you can control the app permissions by simply disabling them for apps. This will increase your security and prevent the apps from unnecessarily accessing your personal data and phone's hardware resources.
You will not find the 'Motorola Assist' and 'Motorola Migrate' apps on your phone after updating because Motorola has already confirmed the retirement of these apps with the launch of android Marshmallow. Other features include the 'Doze Mode', 'Now on Tap', 'Android Pay', 'Direct Share' and 'Simpler Volume Controls'.
Warning:
Before updating make sure to enable 'Allow OEM unlocking' in 'Developer Options'. Because we can't say whether after updating your phone Google will trip 72-hour lockout or not. If 'Developer Options' is not visible then go to 'Settings>About phone' and tap on 'Build number' 10 times to unlock it. Read more about factory reset protection. After updating to android 6.0 you can disable this 'OEM unlock' to enable factory reset protection.
How To Update
If you live in North America and Canada then you can get this update. Just go to 'Settings>About device>System updates'. If the update is available then you will receive a notification. Tap 'YES, I'M IN' and follow the instructions to download the OTA. Make sure you have a Wi-Fi connection.
Samsung has released the android 6.0 beta for the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge. This firmware is not the final release and is in the testing phase. Samsung UK is sending invites to Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge users to get their new android 6.0 tested. If you want to become an android 6.0 beta tester then you should install the android 6.0 beta firmware on your Galaxy S6. As per the guidelines, this beta firmware testing program is only available in the UK. But don't worry if you reside outside UK then we have an alternative procedure for you which will make you the official tester of the android 6.0 beta firmware for Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge.
Before you begin installing the firmware. However, this is an official update so you will not lose any data. But you should take a backup of your data because you don't want to lose it. Well, the process is pretty easy, you have to install an app and fill out the registration details. Within 24 hours you may get the update if Samsung selects you.
This tutorial employs the use of ODIN flashing tool. So you should be aware of using it. Make sure that your phone is charged to at least 60%. You can read this tutorial about using ODIN.
How To Install Android 6.0 Beta On Samsung Galaxy S6 And Galaxy S6 Edge
For UK Users Only
Make sure that your device's model should be SM-G920F or SM-G925F.
Your phone's firmware should have a BTU product code otherwise you will not get the update. You can install this app to check the BTU code.
Now after checking the BTU code, download and install the Galaxy Care app from the play store.
Open the app and follow the on-screen instructions.
Keep swiping until you see "Participate Galaxy Beta Program" and tap 'Join'.
Finally tap the 'Registration' button at the bottom and agree to license terms.
That's it, you may receive the android 6.0 beta OTA on your phone within the next 24 hours.
For Non-UK Users
If you live outside of UK or your Galaxy device doesn't have the BTU code then you have to first flash the BTU file on your phone before you can get the android 6.0 beta.
Your phone model should be SM-G920F or SM-G925F and it should be unlocked.
Now follow the 'Step 3' and onwards in the 'UK Users Only' section above.
You can get the android 6.0 beta OTA update within 24 hours.
If you do not get the android 6.0 beta update even after following this tutorial then Samsung may not have chosen you. But you should try the above tutorial to become a beta tester for Samsung.
Motorola Moto G 3rd Generation is a budget android smartphone. Motorola has already started to roll out the android 6.0 Marshmallow update for Moto G (3rd Gen) in North America and Canada. The phone features a quad-core CPU, Adreno 306 GPU and 2 GB RAM. Overall the Moto G3 is a good phone with some unique features like water resistance and a gesture activated LED torch. You can read Moto G3 Review. This tutorial tells about some tips, tricks in Moto G3.
Motorola Moto G 3rd Generation Tips, Tricks And Hidden Secrets
1. Karate Chop:
This is a very useful function in Moto G3 which allows us to turn ON the LED flash that can be used as a torch in the dark. This feature can be used anytime whether the phone is locked or unlocked. To turn ON the LED flash as torch just hold the phone and perform a karate chop two times. The phone will vibrate before activating the torch. It can be turned off by again performing a karate chop.
2. Twist For Quick Capture:
This action launches the camera quickly. You don’t have to push any button or unlock the phone. At any instant hold the phone and twist your wrist twice so that the phone’s screen should face in an upward direction. This launches the rear camera. A reverse action will launch the front camera. You can even capture photos and record videos when the phone is locked.
3. Take Screenshots:
Taking screenshots on Moto G3 is very simple. At any instant simultaneously press the ‘Power’ and ‘Volume Down’ button. Go to gallery app to view the captured screenshot.
4. Create New Home screens:
Creating new home screens in Moto G 3rd Generation is rather tricky than easy because there is no direct option to create one. By default, you have 2 home screens the third one is for the Google app. To create a new home screen just open the app drawer and long tap any app and drag it to the extreme right to the phone’s screen. This is new home screen just drop the app here. A home screen is automatically removed when all apps, widgets and shortcuts are removed from it.
5. Make App Folder:
App folders can only be created on home screen. App folders are useful to keep one kind of apps at same location such as Google Apps. To create app folder, you should have at least one app on the home screen. Now open the app drawer, long tap any app and drag it over to the other app on home screen. The folder will be automatically created. Tap the folder then tap ‘unnamed folder’ to rename it.
6. Enable Screen Notifications:
Motorola Moto G 2015 doesn’t have an LED notification light. But Moto G3’s screen notifications beat the LED notification in every aspect. Whenever a notification arrives it appears as interactive icons on the screen. To check the notifications, you just have to shake the phone once without pressing any button or unlocking the screen. To enable screen notifications, go to ‘Settings>Display>Screen notifications’. Here select ‘Moto Display’.
7. Enable Adaptive Brightness:
When adaptive brightness is enabled then the screen’s brightness will automatically adjust itself by getting data from the light sensor. This feature saves battery in indoor and outdoor locations. To enable it go to ‘Settings>Display>Adaptive brightness’.
8. Enter Recovery Mode:
To enter recovery mode on Moto G 3rd Generation please read this article.
9. Enable Vibration During Calls:
To make your phone vibrate during incoming calls go to ‘Settings>Sound & notification’. Scroll down and enable ‘Also vibrate for calls’.
10. Mount USB OTG Drive:
Moto G 2015 has OTG support. You can connect USB storage devices to it for file transfer. You should have an OTG cable or an OTG USB drive. Just connect it to the phone and start copying or transferring files. Use ES file explorer.
11. Enable Battery Saver:
Moto G3’s battery saver extends battery life by disabling Wi-Fi, vibration for calls and background data. It also limits phone’s performance. However, Moto G 2015 has a 2470 mAh which is capable of powering it for a full one day so using the battery saver is not necessary. But if your battery goes below 15% then you should activate it. Scroll down the notifications slider with two fingers and tap the battery icon. Now tap the ‘3 vertical dots’ on the top right and select battery saver. Now turn it on, then tap ‘Turn on automatically’ and select ‘at 15% battery’. Now you can turn it off it will automatically activate when the battery percent reaches 15%. When the battery saver is enabled then the upper and lower part of the screen turns orange.
12. Block App Notifications:
You can block app notifications from various apps like Whatsapp, Facebook, Google+ apps. So that no one can see them. When notifications are blocked then they won’t appear on the screen. To do this go to ‘Settings>Sound & notification’. Here scroll down and tap ‘App notifications’. You will see the list of all apps here. Tap any app to block the notifications including ‘Priority’ and ‘Sensitive’ notifications.
13. Disable Cellular Data:
By default the mobile data is enabled. So it may cost you money because apps keep syncing in the background. To disable it just slide down the notifications panel and touch any of the SIM. Now in SIM settings, you will find ‘Cellular Data’. Disable it.
14. Music Player For Moto G3:
The default music player on Moto G 2015 is the Google Play Music which is not much good. You can try the Walkman Music Player For Moto G3.
15. Video Player For Moto G 2015:
Similarly the default video player of Moto G is limited. You can download Sony Movies App.
16. Save Contacts To Phone Storage:
To save contacts to phone storage you have to manually import them from the vCard file. You should backup your contacts on the old phone as a vCard file and then transfer it to Moto G3 in the internal storage’s root directory. Now go to ‘Contacts>Settings>Import/Export’. Choose ‘Import from storage’. Locate the file to import the contacts to phone storage. They will not be saved to Gmail account. Another option is to keep the contacts always stored in the SIM.
17. Enable/Disable Factory Reset Protection:
Factory Reset Protection is a special security feature in which Google locks your phone for 72-hours after a factory reset in recovery mode. However, resetting the phone from ‘Settings’ menu is completely safe. Please read about Factory Reset Protection.
18. Change Camera Resolution:
By default camera resolution is set to 9.7 MP. You can change it to 13 MP. Open the camera then open its settings by swiping on the left side of the screen. Find the ‘L’ icon and change the resolution. See the image below.
19. Play Retro Games On Moto G3:
You can play retro games by using their emulator apps on Moto G3. The tutorial list is given below.
The chrome browser in Moto G3 has an ability to save web pages as PDF files without special extensions. Read this article.
21. Quickly Uninstall Apps
To quickly uninstall apps just open the app drawer and long tap the desired app. Now you will see two options on home screen. Drag the app to the 'Uninstall' option and tap 'OK'. App will be uninstalled within few seconds
There were 21 tips and tricks for the Motorola Moto G 3rd Generation. More tips are coming soon. Please share the article if you liked it.
Android antivirus apps are available in the play store since the launch of the android cupcake. Most of these antivirus apps are free, but some are trialware. These antivirus apps scan your phone and installed apps for security risks like malware and viruses. But installing any antivirus app today on your phone is of no use. These apps are only limited to scanning apps and provide a bunch of useless tools like remote tracking and wiping. These antivirus apps run in background and waste battery performance.
Do You Really Need An Antivirus App For Android Phones?
Google itself checks the android apps for malware and viruses before launching them in play store. Also, the Google Play Services scans the installed apps on your phone on a regular basis. This scan is done to check whether the app is safe or not. If Google finds any malicious app installed on your phone then it may ask you to remove it immediately. With android device manager, you can lock, track and wipe your lost phone.
The same features are being provided by many popular antivirus apps, but Google's android device manager is much reliable. In android 5.1.1 Lollipop and above you will find a powerful security feature known as Factory Reset Protection. It is a security feature which automatically locks your android phone if someone performs an unauthorized factory reset from recovery mode. Please read more about Factory Reset Protection.
Android Antivirus Apps Are Not Hard Reset Proof, But Your Google Account Is
So once a hard reset is done the phone is completely wiped which also removes the antivirus apps. But Google account is still there and it will protect your phone from unknown access. Now you can track this phone with android device manager. So android antivirus apps are a failure in this case. You can enable the malware detection function in 'Google Settings' app. Just open the app and head to 'Security'. Here make sure that 'Scan device for security threats' and 'Improve harmful app detection' is enabled. Also make sure that 'Unknown sources' is disabled in 'Settings'.
Android Antivirus Apps Doesn’t Provide Permission Controls
When the above-mentioned functions are enabled then Google will automatically check your installed apps for security threats. Google has given more control to the user in its latest android 6.0 Marshmallow. In android 6.0 a user can disable certain or all permissions required by any android app. Most android apps like to read your contacts, see you photos/videos and access the camera without notifying you. I have seen many apps like 'Clean Master' which access your photos. You can disable all these permissions and make your data more secure. An android antivirus app does not provide such functionality.
Downloading Apps From Play Store Is Safe
If you download android apps only from the Google Play Store then you should not worry much. Because Google only publishes apps that are safe to install and are completely free from malware. So installing an android antivirus app will only cost some of your phone's battery life. Instead of these apps, you should install VPN apps that allow you to browse anonymously, you can check one here.
Verdict
Android antivirus apps have improved over time and now they are capable of providing some sort of online protection. The Avast free antivirus is quite sophisticated and is able to block malicious websites on your android phone. It can also warn you about unsecured Wi-Fi networks. All you have to do is to activate the chrome support in android accessibility option.
An android antivirus can not protect you alone from network threats. It can't protect you from IP based attacks. To prevent such attacks you need a VPN. Read more about VPN apps.
Motorola Moto G Turbo is the upgraded version of the Moto G 3rd Generation android smartphone. Moto G 2015 was launched in July 2015 while the Turbo Edition has been recently launched on 10th Dec 2015. Both these android smartphones are exactly same in appearance and most hardware specs. The Moto G Turbo now packs an octa-core CPU with turbocharging support. The device can be charged to give 6 hours of backup in just 15 minutes as said by Motorola.
With the launch of Moto G Turbo edition, Motorola has left many android users in a confusing state. They are unable to decide which phone to choose between the two. This post will tell you whether you should buy or upgrade to Moto G Turbo edition or not.
Moto G 3rd Generation vs Moto G Turbo Edition: Which Should You Buy?
Processor: The Moto G 2015 has a 1.4 GHz quad-core Qualcomm processor while Moto G Turbo Edition has an octa-core CPU. I have found the regular Moto G processor fast enough which is capable of running heavy apps and games without lags. App multitasking is very smooth. So, using an octa-core CPU in place of a quad-core is only beneficial if you are going to run heavy games and multiple apps simultaneously.
GPU: Moto G Turbo is backed by a Qualcomm snapdragon MSM8939 chipset which features the Adreno 405 GPU. Adreno 405 GPU is better than Adreno 306 which is the graphics processor in Moto G 3rd Generation. So, you will get good 3D graphics and smooth gaming experience on Moto G Turbo edition.
RAM/Memory: Both the latest version of these smartphones have exactly 2 GB of RAM. So, there is almost no difference.
Conclusion: -
Well gaming on the Moto G Turbo is definitely better than regular model. But gaming on the Moto G 2015 is also very good. You can use any of the two and see that there are no lags in gaming. Moto G 3rd generation is capable of running any android game without lags. So only consider the newer Turbo Edition if you are a hardcore gamer and want slightly good performance in android gaming.
Upgrading from the regular version to the turbo version for this reason is not at all a wise decision. The snapdragon 615 chipset features an octa-core CPU with Adreno 405 GPU, so heating issues can be felt on the screen and the back panel while gaming or using Wi-Fi for longer times.
Moto G Turbo Specs That Are Exactly The Same In Moto G3
The regular and the turbo version of Moto G share a set of same hardware specifications that are listed below.
Camera: Both smartphones have the same 13MP rear camera and 5MP selfie camera.
Storage: Both the phones have 16 GB onboard storage which can be further expanded to 32 GB.
Battery Capacity: Both smartphones have exactly the same 2470 mAh battery which is non-removable. Battery supports USB OTG function.
Connectivity: Both these phones share a common set of connectivity options like Bluetooth, 2G/3G/4G LTE, Wi-Fi (only b/g/n), Dual SIM support, GPS and radio.
Display: The display is replicated from the regular version to the turbo version of Moto G. The display is 5 inches IPS LCD touchscreen with 294 ppi. The resolution is HD 1280x720 pixels. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 which is also replicated. You may want to install a tempered glasssee it how.
Android OS: Both these android smartphones are currently running android 5.1.1 Lollipop OS. A planned upgrade to android 6.0 Marshmallow is scheduled for both of these phones in January 2016 (expected).
Which Features Make Moto G Turbo Different From Moto G 2015
The Turbo Edition model has some unique features that can not be found in the regular version. The list is stated below.
IP67 Certification: Moto G Turbo is IP67 certified which means it is dust and waterproof. While Moto G3 is only water resistant. I really missed the IP67 certification in Moto G3 which I mentioned in this post. Dust is the ultimate enemy of mobile phones. So, having a dust-proof android phone is a good choice, because your phone will repel dust and will keep itself clean.
Turbocharging: The Moto G Turbo edition comes with a turbocharger which can charge it's battery really fast. 15 minutes of turbocharging can make the phone ready for 6 hours. This is Qualcomm's quick charge technology which is not supported by Moto G 3rd Generation. This feature becomes useful when you do not have enough time to charge the phone. The only disadvantage is that phone becomes hot after a quick charge. However, using a normal 5V USB charger will prevent overheating of battery. Turbocharging feature will not work with a normal 5V charger.
CPU & GPU: I have already mentioned above about CPU and GPU. The Moto G Turbo has an octa-core CPU with a better Adreno 405 GPU. So gaming and multitasking are better in turbo edition than the regular Moto G. However, this is not a solid reason to buy or upgrade to Moto G Turbo Edition.
Why Should You Buy Moto G Turbo If Most Of The Specs Are Same
The only solid reason that makes me buy this phone is the not much price difference between the regular and turbo edition which is just $22 dollars (INR 1500). So, caring not much about $22 dollars, I would prefer Moto G Turbo. Because it is coming with an octa-core cpu, Adreno 405 GPU, turbocharging support and IP67 certification.
Is Turbocharging, Upgraded CPU/GPU And IP67 Certification A Reason To Buy Or Upgrade To Moto G Turbo
No, above-mentioned features are not at all solid reasons to buy this phone. You can read more below.
Turbocharging: This is not a useful feature. The 2470 mAh is capable of providing a one day backup. This battery pack is capable of giving 10 hours of continuous video playback. The battery can last 2 full days if you use your phone 6 hours daily i.e 2 hours each for telephony, web browsing and video playback per day.
So, turbocharging is only useful when you don't have much time to charge the phone. The regular Moto G3's battery take 2 hours to fully charge. It doesn't matter how busy you are in day to day life, you will definitely give this much of time to your phone to charge it.
CPU/GPU: The Turbo edition packs the snapdragon 615 chipset. It has an octa-core CPU with Adreno 405 GPU. The device will heat up during heavy gaming and long Wi-Fi usage sessions. The gaming experience would be definitely better than the Moto G 2015 but device overheating may encountered.
I have personally used Moto G 3rd Generation and played most heavy games without lags. So, this is also not a solid reason, but totally depends on user needs.
IP67 Certification: Having a phone which is dust and waterproof is good. But it is also not a solid reason to buy this phone. Since water damages are accidental so you are assured that your phone won't be damaged by water. The regular version and the turbo version both are waterproof phones if the back cover is properly installed.
Moto G Turbo is dust-proof also. You can make your older Moto G3 dust-proof by buying a phone cover. A phone cover will protect your phone from dust and shocks. Both these phones have Gorilla Glass 3.0 protection which is also dust-proof. So this is also not a solid reason. But it is really a good feature for the people who want to keep their phones dust free.
Should You Upgrade From Moto G 3rd Generation To Moto G Turbo Edition
If you are the owner of a regular Moto G3 and planning to upgrade to Moto G Turbo then this is not a wise decision. Because Moto G Turbo is just another Moto G3 with mild changes. It doesn't have full HD display, a 5GHz Wi-Fi support, an upgraded battery, nearly all hardware specs are same except the CPU and GPU. The turbocharging and dust resistance feature are not much useful for an advanced user.
Verdict
Moto G Turbo Edition is overall a good phone with an upgraded Snapdragon 615 chipset, turbocharging and IP67 certification. So, if this phone is going to be your new phone then spending additional $22 dollars, for it is a good idea. But people who are already using Moto G3 will not experience much difference, so it is better not to upgrade.
If you have any questions then you can ask via comments.
Back in March 2015, Google introduced 'Factory Reset Protection' a security component of 'Device Protection' for the android 5.1 Lollipop which also works on some phones running android 5.0 (5.0.1 and 5.0.2). It can also be found in android 6.0 Marshmallow. As we all know that any android phone that we use requires a Google account which allows us to access all the Google apps on a single android smartphone. In the case of theft, this account is the only way to track a stolen android smartphone.
Prior to the introduction of 'Device Protection' (which is still not available in android KitKat and lower android versions), anyone having your phone was able to reset it to factory settings by doing a hard reset in android system recovery mode. So, these phones at that time were not hard reset-proof. Google's idea behind implementing the 'Device Protection' feature is to make them hard reset-proof. So no one can use it even after a factory reset in recovery mode.
Google launched android 5.1.1 with 'Factory Reset Protection' which is a security component of 'Device Protection' followed by another security feature i.e. Google's 72-hour lockout. Both of these security features are automatically activated on a locked bootloader right after an unauthorized attempt to reset your android phone.
How Does Factory Reset Protection Works On Android Lollipop And Android Marshmallow
Whenever you reset your android Lollipop/Marshmallow smartphone in android system recovery mode then everything is deleted except the previously synced Google account. This situation is automatically followed by a 72-hour device lockup. Now when FRP is activated then during phone setup Google will ask you for the previously synced Google account credentials to verify account ownership. Without entering the account information, you can not unlock the android phone. And the bad news is that once the FRP is activated then you have to wait for full 3-days. So that you can unlock the phone with your Google account.
But even Google and Android Police says that the 72-hour lockout is only initiated if a password change is encountered. But it is active by default. You can read about the Android Police article here and for Google Support go here.
Update: The lockout period has now been changed to 24 hours which previously was 72 hours. So you can now unlock the phone after a complete one day period.
Why You Have To Wait For 72-Hours Before You Can Unlock Your Phone
The logic is simple. Suppose someone grabs your phone and performs a hard reset. This person can be a thief. Now when he performs a hard reset, then the phone records this unauthorized attempt. It stores this information somewhere in the internal storage. Now when the device boots up it automatically asks for Wi-Fi network and this step can not be skipped.
When the phone is connected to the network it sends this stored info to Google servers. On receiving this info, Google takes action by locking your phone for 72-hours. During this time, a thief can not use your phone. And it does not matter whether he knows your password or not because entering right credentials during this lockout period is of no use.
Actually, Google is giving you 3 days to take control of your account if someone gets your android phone, performs a factory reset and possibly changes your password. So during this 72-hour lockout period, you can recover your account and change the password again to make the situation even harder for the thief. Without entering the right Google account information, the thief can not even use the phone. He can only use the phone as a paperweight.
How Can You Unlock The Phone After Factory Reset Protection Is Activated
Factory Reset Protection also troubles the genuine owners once it is activated. Because you have to wait for complete 3-days, so that you can use the phone again. If you are trapped in Google's 72-hour lockout then follow the tips below to unlock your phone.
Just sit back and relax for full 3 days.
Use the same Wi-Fi router to login into your account from your phone.
For the first 2 days keep logging into the locked android phone with your previously synced account and new password. Use the same Wi-Fi router or network.
On the final third day login into the phone only after the 72-hours are over.
Your account and password will be accepted this time and phone will be unlocked.
Now you have to go through the normal android setup after the phone is unlocked.
Warning: - Never delete your Google account which is being used by a locked android phone. If you do this your phone can never be unlocked.
Can You Bypass Factory Reset Protection On Android Lollipop
There is exactly no way to do this. However, Samsung phone's were shown to bypass this protection feature by using an OTG flash drive. This OTG flash drive contains an app that launches the device's 'Settings'. From 'Settings' it is possible to unlock the bootloader. Then again performing a hard reset bypasses this security.
Can You Disable Factory Reset Protection On Android Lollipop And Android Marshmallow
Yes, you can disable it. Just go to 'Settings>Developer Options'. Here enable 'Allow OEM Unlocking'. When this option is enabled you can freely perform a hard reset. Factory Reset Protection will not be activated. But, I won't recommend you to do this. Because if a thief gets your phone with an unlocked bootloader then he can use your phone after doing a factory reset in recovery mode. It is up to you whether you want to disable it or keep it always enabled.
How To Play Safe With Android's Factory Reset Protection
I know that this security feature sometimes becomes an overkill for the real owners of android phones. Because they can't use the phone for 3-days once this protection is activated. Disabling this security feature is not recommended. Below are some tips to prevent this security feature from troubling you.
Always 'Factory Reset' the phone from the Settings.
Always remember your Google account details.
If you have changed the password, then do not factory reset the device.
Never delete the associated Google account.
I think, I have covered the topic in detail. If you have any questions regarding the Factory Reset Protection then ask via comments.
Whatsapp is the most popular instant messaging app available for android, iOS and Windows phone. Day by day Whatsapp goes under various bug fixes and new features come out with a newer build. Since the launch of material design, Whatsapp has changed a lot thenceforth. Latest update includes a new set of smileys added in the app and you will notice something new when you download the latest version every time.
A new feature in Whatsapp is introduced as 'Custom notifications' in which you can mute notifications from a contact, person or friend or even groups. You may need to turn off Whatsapp notifications at night, for this you do not need to switch off your phone, just enable 'Custom notifications' for that particular contact, person, friend or group. You also have the option to hide Whatsapp notifications in status bar. But you will still receive messages but would not hear any sound or see any notification unless you open the app.
How To Mute Notifications In Whatsapp
Open the app and tap on any contact or friend's name for that you want to mute notification.
Now tap the name on top. Scroll down a little bit. Here you will find 'Custom notifications'.
Enable 'Mute'.
A popup will open. Either select '8 Hours', '1 Week' or '1 Year'.
If you do not want notifications to show up in status bar then un-check 'Show notifications'.
Now nobody will disturb you on Whatsapp at night or when you are busy.
Recently I have seen that the boot animation on Moto X and Moto G 3rd Generation has changed completely. Previously the boot animation on Moto G 2015 was a rolling yarn and the Motorola logo evolving as collection of fabric stitch. This stitch boot animation has now completely vanished from Motorola phones and now you see the older one (revolving earth) on your Moto G3.
So what’s the reason behind this boot animation change? People are complaining that this boot animation change happened as a result of factory reset or hard resetting their Moto phones in recovery mode, but I would say this is not the reason. In this post I will tell you the correct reason behind this.
Why Motorola Boot Animation Changes On Moto G 2015 And Moto X
The reason behind this is simple, Motorola keep pushing boot animation updates to their phones. There is an app installed on your Moto G3 ‘Motorola Boot Animation’ which shows you startup animation when your phone starts up. This is the reason why the stitch boot animation changed on Moto G 2015, this animation was available from July 1st to 31 October 2015. People who bought Moto G 3rd Gen after 31st October will not see the stitch startup.
How To Get Back Stitch Boot Animation On Moto G 2015
Note : Use this procedure at your own risk, as this is the manual method of flashing a system update on your phone. Motorola keep updating the boot animation, so reverting back to an older one is not a wise decision because it will automatically change with the official release of Motorola Boot Animation.
If you own a smartphone that has the Corning Gorilla Glass protection then installing a Tempered Glass Screen Protector is a must buy thing for it. It protects the original phone’s screen from accidental breakage and also protects it from shattering. A tempered glass screen protector once installed on your phone’s screen will protect it from scratches and save the screen from breaking. Since it is very cumbersome and expensive to replace a broken Corning Gorilla Glass, its better to protect it with TGSP, because it is much more easy and cheap to replace a broken TGSP.
So here we go, this tutorial will teach you to install the TGSP on Moto G (3rd Generation), but it can be used for any other smartphone from Samsung, Motorola, Windows Phones or even iPhones.
Requirements
A good quality Tempered Glass Screen Protector for your phone. Please note that these glass screen protectors are smartphone specific.
Your phone ofcourse.
About Tempered Glass Screen Protector
A Tempered Glass Screen Protector is a multi-layered glass screen guard specially designed for your phone’s screen which protects the Gorilla Glass from breaking or shattering. In case of a fall it absorbs all the impact’s energy and may or may not break into smaller granuels, depending upon the force of impact. You will get following things with the package.
The glass screen itself.
Guide Stickers : You may get 2-3 guide stickers, these stickers will hold the TGSP in place so that it correctly sticks to the phone’s screen without leaving uneven space on the screen.
Dust Absorber Sticker : This sticker is used to remove tiny dust particles from the screen.
Dry and Wet Cleaners : These cleaners cleans the screen completely without leaving any dirt.
Warning : Installing a Tempered Glass Screen Protector is a work of patience, its a win or fail situation. Do not remove the protective plastic film from TGSP unless you are told to do so.
How To Install Tempered Glass Screen Protector On Your Phone
Place the phone on a firm location, so that it can’t move. Avoid slippery surfaces.
Stick the guided stickers on the Tempered Glass Screen Protector on any side.
Now start aligning the Tempered Glass on your phone’s screen and see that it correctly fits on the phone’s screen. This is a hit and trial sequence, do until you correctly manage to fit it on the screen.
When the correct fit is achieved, its time to fix the TGSP in place so that it can not move here and there. Just stick the guide stickers with side of the phone and finally stick them with the surface. See the image below.
Finally make a check to see that the TGSP is right in place, just lift it up like you open a door and see it should come on the exact place.
Now gently lift the Tempered Glass and keep it aside, adjacent to phone’s screen without disturbing the guide stickers.
Now start cleaning the screen. First use the ‘Wet Cleaner’, clean the screen thoroughly but gently, then use the ‘Dry Cleaner’. Finally after cleaning make sure that screen is free from any debris, even a tiny dust particle will ruin the process.
Now use the ‘Dust Absorber’ sticker. Keep sticking it to different portions of the screen so that it will pickup tiny dust particles and make the screen ultra clean.
Finally check the screen, it should be completely clean without any dust particles. If you find any then repeat the cleaning process.
Final Step
Now carefully remove the plastic film from the Tempered Glass Screen Protector and do not touch the back of the glass screen.
Gently put it over the cleaned phone’s screen without disturbing the guide stickers.
It will automatically start to stick itself to the screen. Use a plastic card to set the TGSP, if you encounter any bubbles or spots then use plastic card to set them, a gentle swipe with a plastic card will fix all bubbles and spots.
Finally the TGSP is installed.
Now start removing the guide stickers from the glass screen protector gently.
Scratch Test
I have tested the Tempered Glass Screen Protector against scratches. I used normal keys but failed to give any scratch. But do not push it hard while testing.
Screen Sensitivity
I haven’t found any issues with the touch screen sensitivity. The screen is responsive without any touch delays. The screen’s colours and brightness are intact.
Screen Protectors have been around us for quiet a long time. Anyone who buys a smartphone also invests some amount of money in buying a screen protector. Basically a screen protector is a thin plastic film specially designed for your phone's screen, it protects the screen from scratches and fingerprints, however it does not interfere in the touchscreen operation. Today most smartphones are coming with a factory installed glass protector. Corning Gorilla Glass is the most common type of tempered glass that is the principal screen protector of many android, Windows phone and even iPhones. Corning Gorilla Glass is scratch-proof which provides protection from unwanted scratches on the screen, it has an Oleophobic coating over it which prevents fingerprints and acts as a repellent to many liquids.
Disadvantage Of Corning Gorilla Glass
The only disadvantage of Corning Gorilla Glass is that it is not shatter-proof. A powerful blow to the screen during a fall will break the glass leaving the screen unusable. Replacing this CGG panel on your phone is very expensive and is greatly dependent on the phone's price. So to prevent the Gorilla Glass of your phone's screen we use tempered glass, as the tempered glass screen protector itself acts as the protector of your phone's Gorilla Glass.
What Is Tempered Glass Screen Protector
A Tempered or Toughened glass screen protector is kind of thin glass which is used to protect the Gorilla Glass of your phone from breaking. This tempered glass is multi-layered screen protector fused together in a single glass sheet of 0.4-0.5 mm thickness. It has a bottom layer of absorbent silicon, PET film and an optically clear adhesive tempered glass and oleophobic coating in that order.The front part of the TG screen protector also has an oleophobic coating to prevent scratches and oily smudges. The TG is 4-5 harder then a normal plain glass of same size and thickness.
What Does Tempered Glass Screen Protector Do?
Basically it is used to protect the Corning Gorilla Glass of your phone's screen from breaking. If your phone falls then it may get a powerful blow to the screen, in this case the Tempered Glass will absorb all the energy from the impact and may break into smaller granular pieces. This TG screen protector breaks itself to protect the CGG of your phone, because it is easy and affordable to replace a broken TG screen guard rather than broken Corning Gorilla Glass screen which is much more expensive. Is It Worth Buying A Tempered Glass Screen Protector For My Phone
Yes, it is worth the amount you spend, since it serves the purpose of protecting the Corning Gorilla Glass from shattering. I recommend this to everybody who have android smartphones, iPhones with CGG display since replacing a TGSP is much easier and affordable than a broken CGG display which is very expensive.
Plastic Vs Tempered Glass Screen Protectors
Plastic SGs are no more than a thin plastic film of just 0.1 mm thickness. These plastic films does not provide any protection for the CGG on your phone. Whether you install it or not means the same thing. These plastics SGs were suitable for resistive touchscreens without CGG. On the other hand, toughened glass screen protector acts as a shield for your phone's screen. It is much more reliable and durable than plastic SGs and in most cases it survives without breaking.
Advantages Of Tempered Glass Screen Protectors
Protects the original Gorilla Glass of any smartphone from breaking.
They are scratch-proof, having a hardness rating of 9H which means it cannot be scratched with any material having hardness rating less than 9.
Depending on the impact they may or may not break, but will protect the phone's screen from shattering. See the image below showing broken tempered glass screen protector but the CGG display is intact.
Easy to replace and are affordable.
Doesn't interfere with touchscreen's sensitivity and are totally transparent.
Easy to clean, only needs to be wiped with a dry piece of cloth to remove fingerprints and smudges.
Motorola Moto G 2015 is the latest Motorola smartphone in the Moto G series. You can either call it Moto G3, Moto G 2015 or Moto G 3rd Generation, all means the same thing. The previous two versions of Moto G series were so popular that they completely changed the mid segment smartphone market. Since then many popular brands like ASUS, Lenovo, Gionee, Xiaomi, OnePlus etc. started to bring their mid-segment smartphones in the market. But with the launch of Motorola Moto G 2015, it is clearly visible that Motorola is going to repeat the history again.
This time, Moto G3 came with some unique features that can’t be found in other android smartphones within the same price range. In this post, I am going to review Motorola Moto G 3rd Generation and will also tell you why you should buy this phone.
Motorola Moto G(3rd Gen) 2015 XT1550 Hands On And Review
1. What’s In The Box
The Moto G 2015 retail box contains dual USB charger, headset, USB cable, a couple of user guides and the handset itself. Below is a list of Moto G 3rd Gen variants.
XT1540 (Single SIM) - US, Canada, Latina America
XT1541 (Single SIM) - Europe
XT1542/43/44 (Dual SIM) - Brazil, Latin America
XT1548 (Single SIM) - US (Sprint, US Cellular, Virgin Mobile)
XT1550 (Dual SIM) - Asia, Australia
2. Build Quality
The phone body is composed of good quality plastic that is durable enough against accidental breakage or opening from either side. Since the phone’s design is water resistant, there is no reason for it to break during accidental falls.
The phone’s design is sturdy, slim and looks like a nexus device.
Moto G3’s back cover is also made of plastic with a durable and grippy finish. The back cover has got a line pattern which accompanies good grip in the hand.
The back cover also has rubber seals inside it, which prevents the water from getting in. Once this back cover is installed properly, the Moto G3 becomes water resistant.
The phone is light weight due to its polycarbonate body.
The front part of the phone is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, so scratches will not be a problem for this.
The Moto G (3rd Gen) has got IPX7 certification with which it can survive under water for 30 minutes at 3 feet deep without any problems.
Overall a build quality is good and I have not found any issues while holding the phone in hands.
3. Design
Coming to the front part of the phone you will see a big earpiece, front camera for selfies, light sensor and proximity sensor.
At the top a secondary noise cancellation mic and a 3.5 mm headset jack is located.
At the bottom you can see a big mono speaker with built in mic and a micro USB port for data cable and battery charging.
The volume rocker and the power button are present on the right side of the handset.
Coming to the back, the 13 MP rear camera with dual CCT LED flash and a Motorola Logo is situated.
The camera strip with Motorola logo is customizable. The strip can be changed to different colors along with the back panel.
The Moto G3 weighs only 155 grams and is just 11.6 mm thick. It weighs 6 grams heavier than its previous generations, but this does not make much difference.
Moto G 2015 has a non-removable battery. If you open the back cover then you will find two SIM card slots, both of them are LTE and a microSD card slot.
Hardware Specifications
1. CPU
The Motorola Moto G (3rd Gen) is backed by a 64-bit Quad Core 1.4 GHz Qualcomm cortex A-53 CPU which is an integral part of the Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8916 410 chipset. The same processor can be found in most mid segment android phones, but is a faster SOC than its previous generations. But at this price range, a quad core CPU is acceptable. The CPU can handle multitasking easily, so you can browse while listening to the music without even lags. The cortex A-53 CPU also handles the FULL HD video playback without delays. The chipset has built in light sensor, proximity sensor, accelerometer and sensor hub.
2. GPU
The Adreno 306 GPU allows Moto G 2015 to run the heaviest android games like the GTA San Andreas, Modern Combat 5, Asphalt 8, FIFA 15, Mortal Kombat X, only NOVA 6 showed some lags during gameplay, but rest of the games run smoothly. While playing for longer, the Moto G may heat up but this is completely normal. You can check the Moto G3 gaming review below.
3. RAM/Memory
Moto G 2015 comes in two variants, one comes with 1 GB RAM and the second one comes with 2 GB RAM. I prefer the 2 GB version as there is not much price difference between the two. 2 GB RAM ensures that the apps I am installing have enough memory to run without slowing or crashing the phone. Almost 1.3 GB RAM is always free if you haven’t installed any apps. This much amount of RAM can allow a user to run and switch between multiple apps even faster than its previous generations.
4. Storage
The Moto G (3rd Gen) as I told you above comes in two variants, one is the 8 GB model and another one is the 16 GB model. So, I suggest anybody to go with the 16 GB model with 2 GB RAM because there is not much price difference between the two and you should be running your phone without lags for more than 2 years. So buy the 16 GB model. The user available storage on Moto G 2015 is around 12 GB and can be further expanded to 32 GB via microSD card. The Moto G (3rd Gen) fully supports OTG function, so you can either connect USB flash drives or buy a separate USB OTG drive specially designed for android phones. You can grab one here SanDisk OTG For Android
5. Display
Motorola Moto G’s display stands tall with a 5 inches HD IPS touchscreen covered by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The resolution is HD 1280x720 pixels and screen has 294 ppi which is pretty good at this price range. The viewing angles are great and I can not complain much in this price range. The screen is able to produce vibrant colors and is bright enough to display darker blacks. The screen’s superior color production can be seen while watching a Full HD (1920x1080) video. The Moto G 2015 display gives immersive experience while watching movies. Since the display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, then you need to take care of it and should prevent accidental drops, in this case, a powerful blow to the screen may completely break the glass, so invest some money in tempered glass, you can get one here, Moto G3 Tempered Glass Protector
6. Camera
The camera’s are superior this time as compared to its previous versions. The Moto G has a 13 MP f/2.0 rear camera with dual tone CCT LED flash and 5 MP front camera. The camera can be activated just by twisting your wrist while holding the phone. The camera UI is minimal and contains features like Night Mode, Auto HDR, resolution selection, Auto focus, panorama, slow motion video, burst mode, manual focus, and exposure. The camera can capture photos within a blink of an eye. It can also be activated from lock screen.
The camera quality is awesome while taking photos outside. If you take photos inside then they will come somewhat noisy but capturing photos with the camera flash delivers high-resolution photos without color loss. Moto G 3rd Generation has a stunning camera when it comes to an outdoor photo shoot.
According to my usage, there are three most useful camera features found in Moto G 2015 which are listed as follows.
Quick Capture: While the phone is in your hand, twist your wrist two times so that the phone’s screen should face the floor, this will activate the rear camera while if you do the reverse the front camera will be activated. With this useful feature, you can activate camera anytime despite being locked.
Bar Code Reader: The Moto G’s camera automatically decodes the QR codes when they come in the viewfinder. Isn’t it a nice feature, this feature is hidden and not even described on GSMARENA’s review of Moto G (3rd Gen).
Manual Focus and Exposure: You can manually choose to focus on any object and manually increase brightness around that object.
Slow Motion Video: You can also capture slow motion video with your Moto G.
Coming to the 5 MP selfie camera, I can say that you can capture awesome selfies with good brightness. You can also record videos from it. The selfie camera is capable of capturing bright images without loss of colors, so images don't look grainy even indoors with good lighting.
Camera Samples
Click on any image to view it in full resolution.
With Camera Flash
In Dark
Normal Indoor Light
Moto G 2015 Camera Sample With Flash
7. Connectivity
Except the NFC, Wi-Fi (ac), and IR port the Moto G has all the basic connectivity options like the Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi hotspot, screencast. Both SIMs are LTE compatible. The 2015 Moto G has quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and 3G. The GPS location services are managed by AGPS and GLONASS. It also has FM radio with stereo and RDS support. Moto G doesn't support dual-band Wi-Fi this time, especially the 5 GHz frequency.
8. Battery
The new Moto G ships with a 2470 mAh battery which can easily last a whole day with mixed usage. The battery performance is backed by battery saver mode when there is less battery juice left. The battery has an endurance rating of 76 hours and can easily cover a whole day even with heavy usage. The battery is non-removable. The Moto G battery is powerful enough to deliver 10 hours of continuous video playback or 9 hours of continuous web browsing. The stock charger is a dual USB charger and takes around 2 hours to charge the Moto G’s battery completely. Quick charge is not supported by Moto G (3rd Gen). With the dual USB charger of Moto G, you can charge two phones simultaneously.
9. Android OS and UI
The new Motorola Moto G runs stock android 5.1.1 Lollipop and has recently got the 'stagefright' update in various countries. The UI is completely stock without any modifications, with a recent Google app update, the Moto G UI has changed to android Marshmallow’s style UI. The phone does not contain any bloatware app, which is a plus point as these apps can not be uninstalled and drain the battery and lower down phone’s performance, but Moto G 2015 is completely free from bloatware. It does contain some Motorola apps like ‘Motorola Migrate’ and ‘Moto Assist’. Motorola Migrate will be retired with the official release of android 6.0 Marshmallow for Moto G (3rd Gen).
10. Software Features
Karate Chop: This action activates the LED flash to be used as a torch. Just hold the phone and perform a quick karate chop twice. The LED torch will be activated. Do it again to switch it off. This is an extremely useful and the quickest way to use the camera flash as LED torch. It doesn’t matter whether the phone is locked or unlocked, the karate chop will work in both situations.
Twist To Quick Capture: This is a camera feature, as I have told you above. Hold the phone and twist your wrist two times so that the screen faces the floor. This will activate the rear camera and the reverse will activate the front camera, again it doesn’t matter whether the phone is locked or unlocked.
11. Speaker Sound and Call Quality
This time, Motorola has put a mono speaker in the Moto G 2015 with an inbuilt mic. The mono speaker is not bad at all, and it is very loud and clear, also you can hear clear bass while watching full HD movies. Call quality is also very good and is free from noise. The call dialer app is good enough and automatically tells the ISD codes of the phone numbers that you type, but they are always not correct especially when you are dialing a mobile number within your country. The calling app interface is basic with useful buttons like hold, speaker, disable mic and add a new call. The conference call feature is supported in Moto G 2015.
12. Headset Sound Quality
The headset sound quality is not much good because the headset is a basic one. It has no bass, so I recommend you buy another headset for listening music. Go for earbud type headset as that of Samsung or Sony if you want good quality sound. The Moto G has inbuilt equalizer. The default music player is the Google Play Music.
13. Benchmarks
I really do not believe in benchmarking apps as these are just apps which contain pre-installed figures for various mobile chipset. Apart from these benchmarking apps I prefer using the phone myself and try to find the cons. But after using it for more than a month, I can say that Moto G’s performance is mind blowing. I have tested games like real racing 3, Modern combat 5, EA UFC, Asphalt Nitro. None of the game lagged except the Nova 6 which gave some frame drops while playing. The 1.4 GHz 64 bit quad core processor, 2 GB RAM and Adreno 306 GPU are enough to run any android game at max settings without lag.
14. Notification LED
Moto G 2015 does not notification LED but has active screen notifications features. Whenever notifications arrive like a call or message, the screen notifies you via interactive icons and, believe me, these screen notification are far better than having a notification light, because a notification light just glows and doesn’t tell what kind of a notification has arrived, but the Moto G’s screen does it well.
15. Water Resistance Test
Moto G (3rd Gen) has got IPX7 certification, so the phone is waterproof against accidental drops in water and liquid spills and exposure to rain water. You should know this that Moto G has no way from where water can get in its circuit boards except the SIM and sd card slots, to cover these 3 slots Moto G has given watertight rubber seals in the back cover. If you use any other cover instead of the original Motorola back cover then your phone will be damaged due to water.
Another important thing to note that besides having the original back cover properly installed, water can get under the back cover. This is normal, you will see that water is everywhere except the SIM slots and the sd card slot, which will appear dry because the rubber seals have done their job well and prevented the water from getting in. See the image below.
In the above image, you can see that water is there on the Moto G's body, but it is totally waterproof. Also, you can see that the slots are completely dry which shows that the original Moto G back cover rubber protection seals has done their job well and prevented the water from getting in, these three slots are the only way for water to get in, once these slots are blocked your phone becomes waterproof. Just wipe the phone with a cloth.
Note: Never use other back covers which do not have rubber seals. And always make sure that you have properly installed the original back cover.
16. Moto Maker
With Moto Maker, you can customize your Moto G 3rd Generation before buying. You can choose the color of the back panel, camera stripe, front colour, leather cases and cover and directly buy it from Motorola. But Moto Maker service is only available in the USA.
Missing Apps
Motorola Moto G is missing some apps like the file manager and the video player is not accessible anywhere except the Gallery app also, the Google Play Music is not that good. So, I have a good music and video player for Moto G 2015 you can download the apk and install it.
Apart from regular android gaming I am a great fan of retro games like NES, SNES, Playstation, DOS, CPS1, MAME. I play these games on Moto G and they run very smooth without hiccups and lags. You can read the tutorials below to play these retro games on your Moto G3.
After reviewing the new Moto G, we have found following conclusions that prove it an overall good performer in the mid-segment smartphone range.
Good screen quality with built-in light sensor. Better colour production from its previous generations.
5 inches HD IPS touchscreen with Gorilla Glass 3 protection and 294 PPI density.
A 64 bit CPU with 2 GB RAM, 16 GB storage and Adreno 306 GPU which is a good hardware combination to get the desired performance while running various apps or games. No lag issues are found.
Moto G (3rd Gen) is upgradable to android 6.0 Marshmallow which is the biggest plus point of this phone, other phones at this price will not even see a glimpse of android 6.0.
Good rear and front camera with minimal camera UI and all useful functions with Full HD video recording.
Overall good speaker sound and call quality with active noise cancellation.
A whole day running battery with a capacity of 2470 mAh. The phone fully supports OTG function.
Water resistance feature ensures protection from accidental drops in water and liquid spills. Has an IPX7 certification which allows the Moto G to survive 3 feet under water for 30 minutes. Can be taken outside on a rainy day.
Dual 4G SIM capacity with smart SIM selection feature.
Unique software features like Karate chop and twist for quick capture makes it unique among the crowd, though inspired from Moto X but yet useful.
Cons
What I don’t like about this new Moto G is that the camera becomes miser when it comes to autofocus. This may be due to the recent update. But using the manual exposure and focus fix this problem. The indoor photos are noisy without camera LED flash. The camera is good for the price.
The new Moto G lacks the newer 5 GHz Wi-Fi connectivity, but if your router only supports 2.4 GHz frequency then this topic is not much of concern.
Verdict
Overall Motorola Moto G 2015 is an excellent smartphone within its price range with some unique and useful features. The phone will get android 6.0 Marshmallow update which is a solid reason to buy this phone because with latest android OS you will be getting more app features. I am recommending this phone to anyone who wants a smartphone which is good in hardware, design, free from bloatware, waterproof and is upgradable to latest android OS.
Buy Now
If you feel that this review helped you then you can buy this phone anytime by clicking the link below.
