LG L70 w/ Kit Kat, but no integrated Google Now?!?

[ChuckyB]

My wife decided she wanted a larger screen than her old LG Motion. We opted for the LG L70 because of the $49 deal. The device has the features for her limited needs.

Never mind the Metro bloatware. What strikes me as odd, is that the L70 version of Kit Kat is missing the built in Google Now. I downloaded the app from G-Play, but it's not the same. It doesn't have it's own page to the left of the home screen, but just a widget. It doesn't automatically from any screen with a "okay, google", but instead you need to push the microphone button first.

Maybe I'm spoiled with my Google Play bought Nexus 4 which also runs Kit Kat, but seemingly a far different version that's on her phone.

I didn't realize that the pure android would differ so greatly from versions with manufacturer and Metro overlays. It's not just the Google Now.

Or am I missing something, and did it incorrectly?

 

[kate]

That might be a hardware issue. Not all phones support the option to always listen for you to say "Okay Google." For example the Moto X reacts to "Okay Google" when the screen is off, but the Moto G does not.

Overall layout - yeah they can vary greatly depending on what the carrier puts on the phone.

 

[confed]

Do you have the launcher set as Google Now? If not, pretty sure it cant work.

 

[timmyh318]

The swipe left is only for nexus devices. Its not a part of standard kit kat. You can download the google now launcher thru a 3rd party source and use it if its important but the only phones its actually designed for are nexus devices.

 

[Vyrus69]

If the phone is running 4.4, just make sure you download the Google Now Launcher as well as the most updated Google Search, set it to your default, and then go into the settings and options and enable Google Now from all screens.

 

[gelige]

When I first got the L70, I also thought that it didn't have the Google Now. can't remember if I downloaded it, or I just had trouble knowing how to launch it.

On a previous device, Google Now launched when I pushed the home button. but it wasn't working that way on the L70. on the L70 it launches when I push the icon of the Google "g" on a blue background.

 

[timmyh318]

Hold the menu key to bring up google now

 

[DirtyDee]

I think you are looking for Google launcher

 

[gelige]

Hold the menu key to bring up google now

On my L70 the menu key brings up a menu.


If you want easy one bottom access to Google Now, set the quick-launch button (top left) to Google Search with the icon of "g" on a blue background.

 

[timmyh318]

If you hold the menu button it should bring up google now. Its either hold the menu button or the back button. Also swiping up from the bottom of the screen brings up google now on most lg devices

 

[gelige]

If you hold the menu button it should bring up google now. Its either hold the menu button or the back button. Also swiping up from the bottom of the screen brings up google now on most lg devices

Neat, the upswipe is working.. And it actually gives me the choice between Google Now, and the quick memo / overlay of screen app.