Droid Maxx 4.4 Kit Kat Bugs

[doogald]

I got the update 2 days ago and the only issue I have seen is the battery life. I am planing on doing a factory reset this weekend but I really dont want to go though the hassle of setting up my phone again. Oh well that battery life is worth it.

Before you do that, check out the version of Google Play Services in settings->app->scroll to "Google Play Services" and tap. If the version is 4.0.34, it's been known to cause some battery issues. My phone received the update to 4.1.32 yesterday. I'll know for sure by the end of the day, but already my phone's battery life seems improved over what it has been.

The update rolls out to phones on its own, silently, so you won't know if you have it unless you check.

It's not that a factory data reset is a bad thing - but it is a lot of work, with the potential for data loss if you are not careful about backing things up, and if your only issue is battery life right now, it might be interesting to see if the issue was Google Play Services rather than something that would be solved by an FDR.

 

[SNeitzel]

Before you do that, check out the version of Google Play Services in settings->app->scroll to "Google Play Services" and tap. If the version is 4.0.34, it's been known to cause some battery issues. My phone received the update to 4.1.32 yesterday. I'll know for sure by the end of the day, but already my phone's battery life seems improved over what it has been.

The update rolls out to phones on its own, silently, so you won't know if you have it unless you check.

It's not that a factory data reset is a bad thing - but it is a lot of work, with the potential for data loss if you are not careful about backing things up, and if your only issue is battery life right now, it might be interesting to see if the issue was Google Play Services rather than something that would be solved by an FDR.

I'm seeing the same thing. I used 20% more battery yesterday than I did on a "normal day" before KK. Is there a way to manually update Play Services?

 

[doogald]

I'm seeing the same thing. I used 20% more battery yesterday than I did on a "normal day" before KK. Is there a way to manually update Play Services?

Yes, there is, but I'd wait. I've seen several people with Droids report that they received it yesterday. I believe that Google rolls these updates out by phone model, so Nexus phones get them first, etc. It should be coming soon if you don't already have it.

 

[Old Member]

Yes, there is, but I'd wait. I've seen several people with Droids report that they received it yesterday. I believe that Google rolls these updates out by phone model, so Nexus phones get them first, etc. It should be coming soon if you don't already have it.

Doogald- When you say that you would wait and not side load it I'm assuming it's due to security concerns on your end correct?

Have you had a bad experience in the past that gives you such caution with side loading apps?

I've side loaded the updated Google Services apk that was posted on Android Police and haven't had any trouble out of it.

 

[doogald]

Doogald- When you say that you would wait and not side load it I'm assuming it's due to security concerns on your end correct?

Have you had a bad experience in the past that gives you such caution with side loading apps?

I've side loaded the updated Google Services apk that was posted on Android Police and haven't had any trouble out of it.

Not so much security concerns, since Google signs these and will not allow an update with an incorrect cryptographic signature (which would be nearly impossible to fake), as concerns as to whether they have versions of GPS specifically for each device or version of Android. So, assuming that this may be the case, installing GPS that's designed for the Nexus 5 and Android 4.4.2 may not work as well with the Droids. That is probably not the case, but waiting for the phone to update automatically is sure to work right with the phone.

The other issue would be that a sideloaded .apk for apps that are Play Store delivered will no longer be updated through the Play Store. I am not sure if that is true for Google Play Services or not. But, it could be.

If Google Play Services was causing additional battery drain on my phone, it was not more than 20-25% extra battery usage in a day. I'm guessing that most Maxx users will not be troubled by that.

So far today I am draining 2.4% per hour. In each of the last few weeks, that number has tended to be about 3.5% per hour. So, I really do wonder if the 1% per hour drain that I've noticed since KitKat was installed was due to the coincidental Google Play Services battery drain bug?


For more about that:

It's Not Just You - Google Play Services Seems To Be A Battery Hog Today

Google Play Services 4.1 Begins Rollout With Location Reporting Battery Fix, Turn-Based Multiplayer, And More [Update: APK Download]

Update to Google Play Services fixes battery draining bug, includes support for turn-based multiplayer | Android and Me

(Notice that second link has a download for an update, but that's an older version than the one I have on my phone.)

 

[kmwhiten]

Before you do that, check out the version of Google Play Services in settings->app->scroll to "Google Play Services" and tap. If the version is 4.0.34, it's been known to cause some battery issues. My phone received the update to 4.1.32 yesterday. I'll know for sure by the end of the day, but already my phone's battery life seems improved over what it has been.

The update rolls out to phones on its own, silently, so you won't know if you have it unless you check.

It's not that a factory data reset is a bad thing - but it is a lot of work, with the potential for data loss if you are not careful about backing things up, and if your only issue is battery life right now, it might be interesting to see if the issue was Google Play Services rather than something that would be solved by an FDR.

I have the newest Google Play Services. I looked at my battery stats and its only 6%. My battery is at 22% and its been going for 43 hours. I would normally get about 50 hours around 22% However I still love getting almost 48 hour battery life.

 

[SNeitzel]

Just checked and it did in fact update sometime between 9:56 AM and now...

 

[Robweis]

Cincybear is Nova worth buying? So I need Nova prime and missed it?

 

[dhbuckley]

Overall, primary benefit is responsiveness; just seems smoother, less occasionally balky.

Google Now did not work well after OTA; sometime not at all. Fixed by rebooting phone (SOO fast compared to prev. Razr Maxx HD!) and retraining "OK Google Now".

I really like this phone.

PS Anybody used Tap to Pay w/ Wallet yet? Supposed to work as I got a notification after update asking me to set it up...

 

[Old Member]

Cincybear is Nova worth buying? So I need Nova prime and missed it?

Yes Nova Prime and Missed it FTW!

 

[elcameano]

I have Google play services version 4.1.32 and I'm using about 20% more battery life as well. I really don't want to do a reset but 20% of battery is a big deal.

 

[Robweis]

My battery life seems better since update, guess I'm lucky....

 

[tweak4]

Bluetooth Update:
Most of my devices and connections seem to have worked themselves out over the course of the last week, but my car adapter (a GoGroove Smart Mini BT that has been excellent until now) still refuses to automatically connect when I get in my car since I took the 4.4 update.
The weird thing is that when I get in my car, it appears to connect for a split second and then disconnect and then it just sits there until I manually connect. I used Tasker to have it flash a message whenever it connects or disconnects with my adapter, and as soon as I start my car, I get both messages in quick succession and then nothing.

 

[landolakes]

Overall, primary benefit is responsiveness; just seems smoother, less occasionally balky.

Google Now did not work well after OTA; sometime not at all. Fixed by rebooting phone (SOO fast compared to prev. Razr Maxx HD!) and retraining "OK Google Now".

I really like this phone.

PS Anybody used Tap to Pay w/ Wallet yet? Supposed to work as I got a notification after update asking me to set it up...

I set it up but every time I try to use it, it won't go any further then requesting transaction.

 

[Old Member]

Overall, primary benefit is responsiveness; just seems smoother, less occasionally balky.

Google Now did not work well after OTA; sometime not at all. Fixed by rebooting phone (SOO fast compared to prev. Razr Maxx HD!) and retraining "OK Google Now".

I really like this phone.

PS Anybody used Tap to Pay w/ Wallet yet? Supposed to work as I got a notification after update asking me to set it up...

I used Wallet at Foot Locker tonight to buy my son a new pair of shoes. The cashier said that was the coolest thing he'd ever seen.

 

[elcameano]

Well today my battery life is much better. Been off the clock for 17 hours and I still have 60% battery left...

 

[tweak4]

PS Anybody used Tap to Pay w/ Wallet yet? Supposed to work as I got a notification after update asking me to set it up...

The vending machines at my office choke on the authorization, but I did successfully use it at McDonald's to buy lunch last week.

 

[330D]

Wasn't the case at first, but my bluetooth is borked.. Makes a connection, but won't play through my headset or jambox until I reboot. Lame.

 

[LizMac]

Overall, primary benefit is responsiveness; just seems smoother, less occasionally balky.

Google Now did not work well after OTA; sometime not at all. Fixed by rebooting phone (SOO fast compared to prev. Razr Maxx HD!) and retraining "OK Google Now".

I really like this phone.

PS Anybody used Tap to Pay w/ Wallet yet? Supposed to work as I got a notification after update asking me to set it up...

Hope I'm not jinxing myself, but Google Now works even better, as does Hangouts. Have not tried Tap to Pay with Wallet yet. I dunno. Still tying to get over being burned by Target. :afraid: Maybe I'm just paranoid. (Probably- I do know it's quite different).

 

[Thom]

Agree.

OK Google Now used to fire off when I was watching something on TV. A few times every night. It has happened maybe once since Kit Kat was installed.

... Thom

 

[Old Member]

Agree.

OK Google Now used to fire off when I was watching something on TV. A few times every night. It has happened maybe once since Kit Kat was installed.

... Thom

I changed mine to respond to Okay Google so that it works better with GEL and it is so sensitive now that it comes on all the time. When it was trained to a okay Google now out never responded to me falsely.

 

[Thom]

I trained it both time times with OK Droid Now and it activates with OK Droid.

... Thom

 

[LizMac]

I trained it both time times with OK Droid Now and it activates with OK Droid.

... Thom

Really? I'm going to try this. Could I do something ultra nerdy like, Okay James T. Kirk, Now...

 

[Thom]

I think it has to be three words and the first one is "OK". You need to play around with it. Try recording three words and see what is accepted. Then try the same three words two more times.

You need to change the way you say it and the speed to get it recorded.

I had to record "OK Droid" "Now" with a slight pause between them.

after recording I then tried saying "OK Droid Now" "weather" and it popped up a search window with "now weather" so I then tried it without the "now" and to my surprise it worked.

I just tried "OK Ultra Now" and "OK Maxx Now" and neither were accepted. "OK Droid Now" was accepted. It could be that "droid" is a hidden feature that Motorola slipped in and I stumbled across.

My motivation ... if I had to keep saying "OK Google Now" or even just "OK Google" or "Google" all day long I just wouldn't use it.

... Thom

 

[Old Member]

I think it has to be three words and the first one is "OK". You need to play around with it. Try recording three words and see what is accepted. Then try the same three words two more times.

You need to change the way you say it and the speed to get it recorded.

I had to record "OK Droid" "Now" with a slight pause between them.

after recording I then tried saying "OK Droid Now" "weather" and it popped up a search window with "now weather" so I then tried it without the "now" and to my surprise it worked.

I just tried "OK Ultra Now" and "OK Maxx Now" and neither were accepted. "OK Droid Now" was accepted. It could be that "droid" is a hidden feature that Motorola slipped in and I stumbled across.

My motivation ... if I had to keep saying "OK Google Now" or even just "OK Google" or "Google" all day long I just wouldn't use it.

... Thom

Two words work for sure. "Okay Google" works. It's what I use. I think any phrase will work if you say it long enough. I will try it out sometime with different phrases and see if I can train it to answer it. It takes MUCH longer to get it to accept "Okay Google" rather than "Okay Google Now". I would say that I probably had to say it at lease 10-15 times for each of the three times that I have to get it to accept it. That means 30-45 times total during the entire training process.