LG F6

This article is in progress.

Root is very easy with TowelRoot_v1.apk. Just download, install and open the app, then click on the button. Then install eu.chainfire.supersu.apk immediately.

Installing recovery is also extremely simple, just download, install and open LG-F6-TWRP-V3.apk. But this is optional.

You may also install stericson.busybox.apk. Again, this is optional for some apps that require some Linux system commands in addition to SU.

You may use FolderMount to link/move some folders (e.g. DCIM, iGO, Tencent) from the internal storage to an external SD card.

If you still need more storage for installing more apps after the following blotware removal, then you may use App2SD or Link2SD etc.

List of removable blotware:

AAT.apk
ApplicationManagerbin.apk
ApplicationManagerbin.odex
Books.apk
Books.odex
CABLService.apk
CABLService.odex
ChromeBookmarksSyncAdapter.apk
ChromeBookmarksSyncAdapter.odex
ChromeWithBrowser.apk
ChromeWithBrowser.odex
DmfAdmin.apk
DmfAdmin.odex
EasySettings.apk
EasySettings.odex
ECID-release.apk
ECID-release.odex
GoogleBackupTransport.apk
GoogleBackupTransport.odex
GoogleCalendarSyncAdapter.apk
GoogleCalendarSyncAdapter.odex
GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.apk
GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.odex
GoogleDrive.apk
GoogleDrive.odex
GoogleFeedback.apk
GoogleFeedback.odex
Hangouts.apk
Hangouts.odex
LGBackupbin.apk
LGBackupbin.odex
LGBrowser_JB.apk
LGBrowser_JB.odex
LGEIMEbin.apk
LGEIMEbin.odex
LGEmailbin.apk
LGEmailbin.odex
LGQRemote.apk
LGQRemote.odex
LGSearchWidgetProvider.apk
LGSearchWidgetProvider.odex
LGSetupWizard_JB.apk
LGSetupWizard_JB.odex
LGSetupWizardApp.apk
LGSetupWizardApp.odex
Magazines.apk
Magazines.odex
Memobin.apk
Memobin.odex
MemoWidgetbin.apk
MemoWidgetbin.odex
MLT.apk
MLT.odex
MusicWidgetbin.apk
MusicWidgetbin.odex
MyMetro.apk
MyMetro.odex
Phonesky.apk
Phonesky.odex
PhotoAlbumWidgetbin.apk
PhotoAlbumWidgetbin.odex
PlayGames.apk
PlayGames.odex
PlusOne.apk
PlusOne.odex
QMemobin.apk
QMemobin.odex
QuickSet.apk
QuickSet.odex
QuicksetSDK.apk
QuicksetSDK.odex
SetupWizard.apk
SetupWizard.odex
SmartShare.apk
SmartShare.odex
SmartShareProvider.apk
SmartShareProvider.odex
StreamingPlayerbin.apk
StreamingPlayerbin.odex
Street.apk
Street.odex
TagGoogle.apk
TagGoogle.odex
talkback.apk
talkback.odex
Upsell.apk
Upsell.odex
Velvet.apk
Velvet.odex
Videos.apk
Videos.odex
VoiceDialer_JB.apk
VoiceDialer_JB.odex
VoiceSearchStub.apk
VoiceSearchStub.odex
VuTalkbin.apk
VuTalkbin.odex
WeatherMultiCPbin.apk
WeatherMultiCPbin.odex
WeatherThemebin.apk
WeatherThemebin.odex
WifiCall.apk
WifiCall.odex
WiseScreen.apk
WiseScreen.odex

LG G2, overall the best phone

First thing first, this is the only phone with a headphone jack at the bottom instead of top or sides. If you ever use your phone for music, you know what I mean. Sound is good. Other good points:

• Large 3000mAh battery vs. usual 2000 - 2500mAh, offering the longest run time in its class.
• Very thin side frames.
• Loudspeaker on side. Most phones' are on the back, being easily blocked.
• Much less heavy weight UI than the stupid TouchWiz of Samsung.
• Double tap to wake up, no longer need to press the power button.
• No button on sides and front.
• Camera almost never produce fuzzy photos, unlike Samsung.
• Easy to root and unlock the bootloader. Samsung has been crazy on (re)lock up their phones.
• Wireless storage works very well and very convenient for files transfer over WiFi with PC.
• Notification light blinks about every 1-2 seconds unlike Samsung's pointless every 5 seconds.

After years of using Samsung, this LG feels like a Samsung tweaked right.

It is better downgrade to 4.2.2 (actually 4.3, 12B), because no more text wrapping since 4.4, rendering Boat, the best browser, useless. All other browsers use too much CPU, even while idle doing nothing. UC browser is the only usable browser for 4.4 for its text wrapping and minimum CPU usage (although still more than Boat). Many other things are broken too in 4.4.X, for example, browsers can no longer remember passwords. Android 4.3 is and will be the best Android forever, like Windows 2000/XP for PC.

[update] The LG Video player had been crashing and making the phone reboot by itself. I downloaded the LGVideos.apk from here and all fine ever since.

How to get rid of some annoying pops

A minimalist - stock - ROM

LG VS840 VS920可精简应用列表

My list of blotware for 4.4.2 and 4.2.2:

4.4.2 (/system/app)

AAT.apk
AmazonAudible.apk
AmazonIMDb.apk
AmazonKindle.apk
AmazonMobile.apk
AmazonMP3.apk
AmazonWidget.apk
BaSyncClient.apk
BaSyncClient.odex
bloat.txt
Books.apk
Books.odex
Chrome.apk
Chrome.odex
CloudPrint.apk
CloudPrint.odex
GoogleCalendarSyncAdapter.apk
GoogleCalendarSyncAdapter.odex
GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.apk
GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.odex
GoogleDrive.apk
GoogleDrive.odex
Hangouts.apk
Hangouts.odex
HotspotProvision.apk
HotspotProvision.odex
LGCarHome.apk
LGCarHome.odex
LGCMAS.apk
LGCMAS.odex
LGEasySettings.apk
LGEasySettings.odex
LGFOTA.apk
LGFOTA.odex
LGLIA.apk
LGLIA.odex
LGLifeStream.apk
LGLifeStream.odex
LGLW_Feather.apk
LGLW_Feather.odex
LGLW_PolarBear.apk
LGLW_PolarBear.odex
LGLW_Prince.apk
LGLW_Prince.odex
LGMemoWidget.apk
LGMemoWidget.odex
LGMobilePrint.apk
LGMobilePrint.odex
LGNotebook.apk
LGNotebook.odex
LGQRemote.apk
LGQRemote.odex
LGQTranslator.apk
LGQTranslator.odex
LGSearchWidgetProvider.apk
LGSearchWidgetProvider.odex
LGTangibleIO.apk
LGTangibleIO.odex
LGTaskManager.apk
LGTaskManager.odex
LGTextLink.apk
LGTextLink.odex
LGTextLinkAgent.apk
LGTextLinkAgent.odex
LGTextLinkEngine.apk
LGTextLinkEngine.odex
LGTextTranslator.apk
LGTextTranslator.odex
LGVZWAppSetupWizard_JB.apk
LGVZWAppSetupWizard_JB.odex
LGVZWHelp.apk
LGVZWHelp.odex
LGVZWSetupWizard_JB.apk
LGVZWSetupWizard_JB.odex
LGWeather.apk
LGWeather.odex
LGWeatherTheme.apk
LGWeatherTheme.odex
LGWorldClockWidget.apk
LGWorldClockWidget.odex
Magazines.apk
Magazines.odex
PlayGames.apk
PlayGames.odex
PlusOne.apk
PlusOne.odex
PrintSpooler.apk
PrintSpooler.odex
QuicksetSDK.apk
SmartShare.apk
SmartShare.odex
SmartShareProvider.apk
SmartShareProvider.odex
Street.apk
Street.odex
TagGoogle.apk
TagGoogle.odex
talkback.apk
talkback.odex
Videos.apk
Videos.odex
VMwareReady.apk
VMwareReady.odex
VpnClient_2.6.1_LG.apk
VpnClient_2.6.1_LG.odex

4.4.2 (/system/priv-app)

AmazonAppstore.apk
BaSyncService.apk
BaSyncService.odex
blotp.txt
com.gotv.nflgamecenter.us.lite.apk
GamePortal.apk
ISISWallet.apk
LGClockWidget.apk
LGClockWidget.odex
LGConnectionWizard.apk
LGConnectionWizard.odex
LGEmail.apk
LGEmail.odex
LGFavoriteContactsWidget.apk
LGFavoriteContactsWidget.odex
LGGestureAnswering.apk
LGGestureAnswering.odex
LGLifeStreamLogManager.apk
LGLifeStreamLogManager.odex
LGLW_MultiPhoto.apk
LGLW_MultiPhoto.odex
LGMediaInOne.apk
LGMediaInOne.odex
LGMemo.apk
LGMemo.odex
LGMusicWidget.apk
LGMusicWidget.odex
LGQMemo.apk
LGQMemo.odex
LGQVoice.apk
LGQVoice.odex
LGSlideAside.apk
LGSlideAside.odex
LGVoiceCommand.apk
LGVoiceCommand.odex
LGVoiceCommandService.apk
LGVoiceCommandService.odex
LGVuTalk.apk
LocationAgent.apk
Maluuba_QVoice.apk
Maluuba_QVoice.odex
MyInfozone.apk
MyVerizon.apk
SetupWizard.apk
SetupWizard.odex
SlackerRadio.apk
SmartShareBeam.apk
SmartShareBeam.odex
SSO_P3.apk
Velvet.apk
Velvet.odex
VZAccessories.apk
VZCloud.apk
VZMobileSecurity.apk
VZNavigator.apk
VZTones.apk
WapService.apk
WapService.odex

4.2.2

AAT.apk
AmazonAppstore.apk
AmazonAudible.apk
AmazonIMDb.apk
AmazonKindle.apk
AmazonMobile.apk
AmazonMP3.apk
AmazonWidget.apk
BaSyncClient.apk
BaSyncClient.odex
BaSyncService.apk
BaSyncService.odex
Books.apk
Books.odex
CABLService.apk
CABLService.odex
Chrome.apk
Chrome.odex
com.gotv.nflgamecenter.us.lite.apk
CompatibilityMode.apk
CompatibilityMode.odex
DirectBeam.apk
DirectBeam.odex
DmfAdmin.apk
DmfAdmin.odex
ECID.apk
ELTTest.apk
ELTTest.odex
GamePortal.apk
GoogleBackupTransport.apk
GoogleBackupTransport.odex
GoogleCalendarSyncAdapter.apk
GoogleCalendarSyncAdapter.odex
GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.apk
GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.odex
GoogleFeedback.apk
GoogleFeedback.odex
Hangouts.apk
Hangouts.odex
HotspotProvision.apk
HotspotProvision.odex
LGCarHome.apk
LGCarHome.odex
LGClockWidget.apk
LGClockWidget.odex
LGConnectionWizard.apk
LGConnectionWizard.odex
LGEasySettings.apk
LGEasySettings.odex
LGEIME.apk
LGEIME.odex
LGEIME_THEME_BLACK.apk
LGEIME_THEME_BLACK.odex
LGEIME_THEME_LOVELY.apk
LGEIME_THEME_LOVELY.odex
LGEIME_THEME_NATURAL.apk
LGEIME_THEME_NATURAL.odex
LGEmail.apk
LGEmail.odex
LGFavoriteContactsWidget.apk
LGFavoriteContactsWidget.odex
LGFOTA.apk
LGFOTA.odex
LGGestureAnswering.apk
LGGestureAnswering.odex
LGLIA.apk
LGLIA.odex
LGLifeStream.apk
LGLifeStream.odex
LGLifeStreamLogManager.apk
LGLifeStreamLogManager.odex
LGLiveWallpapersPicker.apk
LGLiveWallpapersPicker.odex
LGLW_Feather.apk
LGLW_Feather.odex
LGLW_MultiPhoto.apk
LGLW_MultiPhoto.odex
LGLW_PolarBear.apk
LGLW_PolarBear.odex
LGLW_Prince.apk
LGLW_Prince.odex
LGMediaInOne.apk
LGMediaInOne.odex
LGMemo.apk
LGMemo.odex
LGMemoWidget.apk
LGMemoWidget.odex
LGMobilePrint.apk
LGMobilePrint.odex
LGMusicWidget.apk
LGMusicWidget.odex
LGNLPService.apk
LGNLPService.odex
LGNotebook.apk
LGNotebook.odex
LGPhotoAlbumWidget.apk
LGPhotoAlbumWidget.odex
LGQMemo.apk
LGQMemo.odex
LGQRemote.apk
LGQRemote.odex
LGQTranslator.apk
LGQTranslator.odex
LGQVoice.apk
LGQVoice.odex
LGSearchWidgetProvider.apk
LGSearchWidgetProvider.odex
LGSlideAside.apk
LGSlideAside.odex
LGStreamingPlayer.apk
LGStreamingPlayer.odex
LGTangibleIO.apk
LGTangibleIO.odex
LGTaskManager.apk
LGTaskManager.odex
LGTextLink.apk
LGTextLink.odex
LGTextLinkEngine.apk
LGTextLinkEngine.odex
LGTextTranslator.apk
LGTextTranslator.odex
LGVuTalk.apk
LGVuTalk.odex
LGVZWAppSetupWizard_JB.apk
LGVZWAppSetupWizard_JB.odex
LGVZWHelpCenter.apk
LGVZWHelpCenter.odex
LGVZWSetupWizard_JB.apk
LGVZWSetupWizard_JB.odex
LGWeather.apk
LGWeather.odex
LGWeatherTheme.apk
LGWeatherTheme.odex
LGWorldClockWidget.apk
LGWorldClockWidget.odex
LocationAgent.apk
Magazines.apk
Magazines.odex
Maluuba_QVoice.apk
Maluuba_QVoice.odex
MLT.apk
MLT.odex
MobileUpdateClient.apk
MobileUpdateClient.odex
MyInfozone.apk
MyVerizon.apk
Phonesky.apk
Phonesky.odex
PlayGames.apk
PlayGames.odex
PlusOne.apk
PlusOne.odex
QuicksetSDK.apk
SetupWizard.apk
SetupWizard.odex
SlackerRadio.apk
SmartShare.apk
SmartShare.odex
SmartShareBeam.apk
SmartShareBeam.odex
SmartShareProvider.apk
SmartShareProvider.odex
SSO_P3.apk
Street.apk
Street.odex
TagGoogle.apk
TagGoogle.odex
talkback.apk
talkback.odex
Velvet.apk
Velvet.odex
Videos.apk
Videos.odex
VMwareReady.apk
VMwareReady.odex
VoiceDialer_JB.apk
VoiceDialer_JB.odex
VoiceSearchStub.apk
VoiceSearchStub.odex
VVM.apk
VVM.odex
VZAccessories.apk
VZCloud.apk
VZMobileSecurity.apk
VZNavigator.apk
VZTones.apk
WiseScreen.apk
WiseScreen.odex

The benefits of a WiFi-Ethernet bridge

Because today's wireless data speed is even faster than cable, it is time to use it as your home or office broadband. You may simply use an Android phone directly as a hotspot, but a WiFi-Ethernet bridge offers many benefits.

There is already a WiFi access point, router or gateway in every house these days and you don't need to change your current system setup. All you need is a WiFi-Ethernet bridge to connect it to an Android phone like this:

The bridge connects to the phone wirelessly and then plugs into your WiFi router or your current network. You need to disable DHCP server on the router though, because the phone already has that and usually cannot be turned off.

Usually a phone's WiFi power is not strong enough to get your house fully covered. This is pretty much the #1 reason to use a bridge and a normal WiFi router other than just the phone as a hotspot.

Furthermore, there is no wire between the phone and the bridge; so you can put the phone at the best spot for the best reception possible in your house. Mobile data speed is hugely related to the signal level; the better the signal, the faster the speed especially uploading.

Usually an Android phone is limited to allow only 5 to 10 devices. This comes to another big benefit of using a bridge: such limit is entirely removed by the bridge. The phone's built-in hotspot won't see any device connected to it. Note: this "feature" may not apply to a third-party hotspot app such as WiFi Tether Router.

The bridge I use is a Linksys WET610N, a used one cost  about $15. It has been working perfectly for more than a year now. The only glitch is: I must use WPA instead of WPA2, otherwise it disconnects and reconnects to the phone every now and then. I think this issue has something to do with WPA2's periodic key renew scheme.

You can easily switch back and forth between this newly added wireless connection and your old broadband. You don't need to change WiFi password on your devices, they connect automatically to either. So this is also a good way to add a backup to your existing broadband, not necessarily a replacement.

I have tried some 3G routers including MiFi in the past, none of them worked well. They are incompatible to many phones and dongles and they are not reliable and dependable. My above phone + bridge + AP system almost never need a reboot for weeks after weeks. An Android phone is also far more flexible, you can do many things on it, such as VPN.

Reveal more network modes on Verizon phones

In the past two years or so, I only buy and use Verizon LTE phones for myself, because they are unlocked global phones that do both CDMA (EVDO) and GSM (WCDMA). You can use them in virtually anywhere on this planet.

By default, you can have only three selections:

If I leave a foreign SIM card in the phone and use Sprint or Verizon in USA without a LTE service, the phone keeps looking for LTE. Very annoying.

Is there a way to disable LTE or force CDMA only?

For Samsung phones, you can simply dial ##3282#:

If ##3282# does not work, then you need to edit the /efs/carrier/HiddenMenu and change "OFF" to "ON".

Although the latest ROMs still have this ##3283# menu, the phone seems ignore my selection. Furthermore, LG phones such as G2 and G3 do not have this hidden menu at all. Then we have to use Xposed, and I have found two modules, Intelli3G and GravityBox, tested to work on my G2:

PagePlus ESN Change

So you just got a new phone and need to transfer your PagePlus number from your old phone. There used to be many websites that do it for free, but no longer. I tried ebay $0.99 sellers, big waste of time and patience, still waiting for my refund.

Turned out the best way to do it is PagePluseCellular's Live Chat. Just give them your current phone # and old and new ESN or MEID, or IMEI without the last digit, they'll do it within a minute or two. No any hassle, and free.

A typical chat for your reference:

pp: How may I help you?
you: Could you please do an ESN swap for me? Phone #: 9908908989, old ESN: 99000090909090, new ESN: 99000089898989.
pp: Do you have a SIM card for your phone?
you: No.
pp: Do you plan to use 3G on this phone?
you: No, just for voice calls and I use WiFi for Internet.
pp: As this is a 4G phone, you need to ask a dealer to program it. Do you still want me to swap the ESN?
you: Yes, please.
pp: Will be done in a moment.
you: Cool.
pp: It's done, anything else?
you: No, thank you!
pp: You're welcome and thank you for choosing PagePlus.
(Chat closed)

Hanghouts voice is not dependable

Sometimes, the app rings but the call is already disconnected when you pick up. This is especially guaranteed to happen in the morning on the very first call of the day. Not something new though, I have seen such behavior on other VOIP apps, such as Acrobits and Talkatone.

There are quite some VOIP apps for Android, but most of them have another big problem: they prevent your phone from sleep - your phone runs hot and battery drains quickly. Acrobits (newer versions), CSipSimple and Bria are such examples.

Sipdroid is the only Android app that does not have those issues, because it is all written for native Android, all new from scratches. It really idles, allowing the phone to go into deep sleep and still reliably receive calls. You can add G.729 codec to it.

However, there is a 5-year-old bug in Sipdroid. It'll lose registration after a while, especially after a change in network status, e.g., switching between WiFi and 3G or an Internet interruption. After looking into the source code and many tests, I'm happy to report: I fixed this bug.

If you need a dependable VOIP on your phone, the only available choice is Sipdroid and a SIP server that's done right, such as KOTS VOIP.  No extra battery drain, reliable calls in and out, period.

ZTE Concord II, a very cheap and solid hotspot

For only $19.00, you can get a ZTE Concord II 4G phone. This is by far the best phone for being used as a hotspot. Other T-Mobile phones such as the Galaxy Light and LG L70, all have hotspot function crippled - they clear routing table every hour or so.

Why use a phone other than a MiFi or 3G router? Because an Android phone is far more flexible. For example, you can let the hotspot go through a VPN and/or proxy connection. And for $19, it is also far cheaper than any MiFi or 3G router.

There are two versions of this Concord II: T-Mobile and MetroPCS, their firmware are slightly different but compatible. I.e., you may flash a T-Mobile FW to a MetroPCS, vice versa. The one I got is a T-Mobile; so if any of the followings do not apply to the MetroPCS version, at least you can flash it to T-Mobile to get all the same functions.

First thing first with any phone is to root it. Fortunately it is very easy, just run a batch script:

http://androidforums.com/concord-2-all-things-root/872326-root-cwm-recovery-zte-concord-2-a.html

Optionally, you may remove blotware, also explained in above link. There is a link to a MetroPCS FW too. A list of what I removed can be found at the bottom of this article. You may not have to remove anything, but some of them such as Lookout and SetupWizard might do very bad things under the backgroud to damage a smooth hotspot experience.

After root, we can run WiFi Tether Router to make it a hotpsot and it works perfectly with the default configuration without any tweak, see above photo. Experienced random disconnects (then reconnected by itself), changed from WPA2 to WPA then problem solved.

Chinese is one of the built-in languages; the other two are Spanish and English.

The only downside: no LTE. This is actually a good thing to me, because LTE is weak and slow in my area, saving me the hassle to disable LTE. So far this is the best hotspot I have had - the most dependable and the fastest.

[update] Xposed can be installed through the installation mode of recovery (flash zip automatically). Then Moto Tether module can be added for bypassing hotspot provisioning.

Bought an unlock code for $12 from phones.outlet on ebay because of 100% positive feedback. The code arrived after about 7 hours and worked (a metroPCS version). 

Removed apps:

Books.apk
ChromeBookmarksSyncAdapter.apk
ChromeWithBrowser.apk
com.mobitv.client.tmobiletvhd.apk
Drive.apk
Hangouts.apk
Lookout.apk
OneTimeInitializer.apk
OneTimeInitializer.odex
SetupWizard.apk
T-MobileMyAccount.apk
AntHalService.apk
AntHalService.odex
CABLService.apk
FccTest.apk
Filer.apk
IQ_OOB.apk
IQ-tmobile.apk
IQToggle.apk
Magazines.apk
MediaUploader.apk
PhotoEditor.apk
PhotoTable.apk
PhotoTable.odex
PlusOne.apk
Protips.apk
Protips.odex
Sdlog.apk
Sdlog.odex
SVIService.apk
talkback.apk
TaskManager.apk
TestAssistant.apk
TestAssistant.odex
Velvet.apk
Videos.apk