Battery conserving tips!!!

[Grassi]

I am new to the droid and smartphones in general, I just got the global 2 days ago and I am getting really frustrated with the battery being consumed by apps running in the background. I have installed the advanced task killer, I was just wondering if someone could help me out but I absolutely do not want to hack my phone in any way, many thanks

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[tebower]

Well, first things first...anyone who is anyone in the Android community suggest that task killers are a waste of time. Including Google engineers. The idea is that if the OS needs additional resources for a new activity, it will selectively kill any process it needs to in order to support the new activity. I don't run a task killer on my phone, and didn't for the past year on my original Droid. I know that Moto crapped up this phone with bloatware, so I have also wondered how to cut it down.

As far as battery life goes, this phone is a hog. The 1.2 Ghz processor is mostly to blame. With the extra processing power comes increased energy usage. This processor usage does not show up in the "battery manager," so we are less likely to blame it, instead focusing on the apps in the list. But they are only a part of the equation. Your display will always consume the most juice. So have it on auto brightness.

Android already has a task manager built in, and Moto included a Task Manager app also. Both are more than able to kill errant processes.

I rooted my phone, and used Titanium Backup (from market) to "freeze" all of the Moto adware, ran it for a few days to see if I saw a performance increase. Then, I unfroze all of those apps, and have been running it to compare. My performance has remained pretty consistent whether the apps were frozen or not. I don't recommend uninstalling any of the bloatware, only freezing it. You never know when it may be needed while installing a OTA operating system update. If the update can't find a source file it needs, it may fail.

There is an OTA software update in the pipe right now. If your global has not pulled it already, it should soon. It fixes tons of performance issues, increases call quality. We should see a corresponding boost in battery life, as well, I am told.

Just don't run with wifi, GPS, and bluetooth on concurrently all the time.

 

[Bilgediver]

Get rid of advanced task killer, it hurts more than it helps.

I found an interesting feature in our settings menu. Under power options we can choose to stint on power for the sake of conserving. I would recommend minimizing the amount of widgets and social networks that you sync. Try and go with a minimal screen brightness, not auto. You can get the official extended battery, adds approx 40% capacity without much trouble size-wise.

There are apps on the market that automate power conserving tasks for you, such as juice defender, which can turn on and off data, wife and bluetooth depending on availability, need and schedule.

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[Bilgediver]

If you root you can underclock a little, helping out.

I have my screen off setting on setcpu to max out at 600mhz, min 300mhz, and my main setting maxes at 1.0 ghz, not 1.2.

Don't really need that extra boost in power for everything I do. I may underclock to 800 mhz eventually to see if it helps even more without causing too much lag.

Try and install a home replacement app like ADW launcher. MotoBlur-lite with those widgets does chow down your battery, especially if you have added accounts to sync.



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[Grassi]

Thanks a **** ton guys, that really helps!!!

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[leobg]

As log as you don't have any blur widgets that are polling data, default blur home does even better than adw or launcher pro in terms of power usage. I have been evaluating this for couple of weeks now and found blur home with no blur widgets is easier on the battery. Underclocking doesn't help that much. The biggest battery killer is the screen. Second biggest - data connection. If you can reduce use of these two you will see biggest battery run time gain.


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[K20turbo]

I found out the hard way that task killer was a big waste of time and effort. Doesnt improve crap (at least for my phone). Even when used every 10 mins my battery drained the same, it probably drains more using it due to restarting programs etc.

battery life is a bigggggggg issue from this phone but what do you expect from such a powerful device, just learn to manage it depending on needs.

Honestly if your a juice head like me, on a typical work day 5-5 with overtime I need to charge the phone by mid day.

This is with everything on and constant usage every 10-30 mins checking email, social apps, banks, etc..
I have push on for exchange, yahoo, and gmail. Most motorola and android widgets such as weather, messaging, twitter, social apps/updator i.e aim, facebook, and myspace, dictionary widget (constant search for new words), urban dictionary and more.
Gps and blutooth is on as well. I never mess with it. Wireless network on using company wireless. And 3g while I'm out of the office. By mid day I am around 10-30% battery left with phone already connected to the charger. Cant use this phone with the usb either (sucks I know). This is with 1-2 minor trips to the coffee shop, minor stop at starbucks and/or office depot for purchases.
I dont mind the charging since I have three chargers, yes 3! 1 at home, 1 in car, and one at work. And I repeat I don't mind the charging at all because I am a heavy user of the phone and I absolutely love this phone coming from crappy at&t iphone.

However, when Im off work saturdays and sundays, 1 charge will easily last the whole day. I always have the screen brightness on the lowest (not auto). This has never been an issue for me and I can see the screen clear enough in the sun and indoors in direct light. I think this saves tons of battery.
Also I turn off background data unless I need something from the market place (Im pretty sure this helps as well), On battery manager I put it to the lowest. I also turn off push and fetch for all emails as I can fetch manually on weekends when the phone isnt that important to me other than for text and email. wifi off 100%. Bluetooth and gps only enabled if needed such as driving to the closest store and/or receiving a call while driving where I know Ill be on the phone for awhile. With all these changes, they really do help improve the battery performance and I can get a full days worth this way from morning to night.

I was an avid iphone user for over 2 years on at&t and I can finally say the android phone was well worth the change. I do miss the look of the iphone with slightly better battery life and the fact that I can be using the internet while talking to another person however those advantages arent enough for me to go back.

 

[Captain Canuck]

My habits to date don't cause me to have any battery issues - I have the phone in the multimedia docking station most of the time.

Now my wife also has a D2G. Right now she is working overnight a lot and loves using Pandora. She runs it for about 4 hours every night. When we first got the phone she was always down to about 20% remaining on the battery when she got home. I had her turn off WiFi and GPS when she got to work Now she is at around 30-40% when she gets home.

And for the record, the phone is not rooted and I haven't changed anything on it. Everything she is running is stock.


CC

 

[rage813]

Use the task manager that comes with the phone! It is really good and made my motorola so it will only help not harm.
Turn off background data.
Screen brightness to 40 percent or lower.
Auto sync, bluetooth, gps off.
When you are at home turn on wifi and use it instead of 3G trust me this saves you battery.
Turn off animations.
I have more but cant think of them now

I get around 28 hours till i get to 30 percent doing all of this and im NOT rooted running stock with motoblur

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[Captain Canuck]

I get around 28 hours till i get to 30 percent doing all of this and im NOT rooted running stock with motoblur

Now THAT is really impressive.

CC

 

[rage813]

I get around 28 hours till i get to 30 percent doing all of this and im NOT rooted running stock with motoblur

Now THAT is really impressive.

CC

Thank you



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[michellescruisin]

Use the task manager that comes with the phone! It is really good and made my motorola so it will only help not harm.
Turn off background data.
Screen brightness to 40 percent or lower.
Auto sync, bluetooth, gps off.
When you are at home turn on wifi and use it instead of 3G trust me this saves you battery.
Turn off animations.
I have more but cant think of them now

I get around 28 hours till i get to 30 percent doing all of this and im NOT rooted running stock with motoblur

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How do you turn off animations? I am looking but cant find it.

 

[rage813]

Display settings

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[michellescruisin]

Thanks rage!