AceCalhoon
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- Feb 15, 2011
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I just picked up a new HTC Droid Incredible (Verizon), and am trying to figure out whether or not it will work for me. Unfortunately, there's a lot I don't know about the device that's making it hard for me to figure things out... Hopefully this forum can help 
The first question I have is, is the battery usage screen at all accurate? Shortly prior to running out of power (a little while after receiving the 10% low battery warning), my usage list looked like this:
34% - Android System
28% - Cell Standby
21% - Phone idle
10% - Display
03% - Google Goggles
02% - Angry Birds
02% - Majesty
(My up time/awake time split at the time was 13:22/3:37)
This list surprised me quite a bit. I would have expected the display and games to be much higher on the list, not bringing up the rear. Is this a typical usage spread? Is this list reliable?
Second question -- What is encompassed by Android System? For example, I've been using a live wallpaper, on the basis that it isn't showing up on the list (and I assume is therefore well below 2% of my overall battery use).
Third question -- Some of the tweak guides have mentioned "Enable always-on mobile data," but I haven't found a clear answer as to what it does. Does anyone have a handle on how much of a savings it can provide, and what exactly it does?
Fourth question -- I've heard some anecdotal claims that the batteries develop better charges after continuous use. Can anyone verify/explain this? Any idea what the magnitude of change is?
For reference, here's where I'm currently at:
As I'm writing this, the phone is at 14:10/3:45 up/awake time. I need it to be closer to 20+ hours to be practical.
The only tweaks I've applied are turning off unneeded items for synchronization, and cleaning up the home screen (the only Internet-related widget I'm using is a weather display).
I've decided against a couple of tweaks based on the usage meter I asked about above -- It seems pointless to dim the screen when the entire display is only using 10% (especially since I can't retain automatic brightness adjustment if I do). Likewise the live wallpaper doesn't seem to be making much of a difference at the moment.
I'm not really sure how to characterize my usage, other than moderate. There were a handful of ten to twenty minute sessions in the web browser and games. I downloaded and installed less than half a dozen apps. I didn't listen to music, or receive any calls. WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS are off (Google location service is on).
I'll update this thread as I try various things throughout the week (slowly, because of the time I need to spend testing each solution). Any information would be appreciated.
2/15: Uptime for today: 15:14/4:00
2/16: Installed Watchdog. Haven't received any notifications from it yet. Uptime for today: 15:19/3:45.
2/17: 14:15/3:40. Unchecked "Enable always-on mobile data." Made about 15 minutes worth of calls (listed as 5% of battery usage). Overall, a big step backwards in terms of battery life
2/18: 15:45/3:00 (28%). I didn't play with the phone as much today, and as a result it lasted quite a bit longer.
2/19 - 2/20: No data for these days, as I turned the phone off and on throughout the day. Charge lasted the full day, with some left over.
2/21: Use has dropped off as the new toy status diminishes. Still playing plenty of Majesty and Angry Birds. Currently at 15:15/2:30, with 56% battery remaining. I also started enabling WiFi while within range of my home network, but I can't verify the impact that's had due to the change in use.
2/22: 14:15/3:15 (37%).
2/23: 14:45/3:15 (29%). One of the games I was trying went berserk (still listed as 21% battery usage at the end of the day). Otherwise acceptable performance.
2/24: 15:05/3:05 (31%). Battery dropped to 85% within the first hour of the morning, but overall life was pretty normal. Weird.
2/25: 14:55/2:50 (35%).
2/26: 15:00/1:15 (66%).
2/27: 11:35/1:15 (65%).
2/28: 12:00/2:00 (58%).
3/1: 14:30/1:30 (64%).
3/2: 11:30/1:30 (63%). Accidentally left the phone off all morning.
3/3: 14:00/2:15 (49%). Rechecked "Enable always-on mobile data."
3/7: 14:30/1:00 (76%). Clearly demonstrating that an unused phone doesn't run out of batteries (as fast).
The first question I have is, is the battery usage screen at all accurate? Shortly prior to running out of power (a little while after receiving the 10% low battery warning), my usage list looked like this:
34% - Android System
28% - Cell Standby
21% - Phone idle
10% - Display
03% - Google Goggles
02% - Angry Birds
02% - Majesty
(My up time/awake time split at the time was 13:22/3:37)
This list surprised me quite a bit. I would have expected the display and games to be much higher on the list, not bringing up the rear. Is this a typical usage spread? Is this list reliable?
Second question -- What is encompassed by Android System? For example, I've been using a live wallpaper, on the basis that it isn't showing up on the list (and I assume is therefore well below 2% of my overall battery use).
Third question -- Some of the tweak guides have mentioned "Enable always-on mobile data," but I haven't found a clear answer as to what it does. Does anyone have a handle on how much of a savings it can provide, and what exactly it does?
Fourth question -- I've heard some anecdotal claims that the batteries develop better charges after continuous use. Can anyone verify/explain this? Any idea what the magnitude of change is?
For reference, here's where I'm currently at:
As I'm writing this, the phone is at 14:10/3:45 up/awake time. I need it to be closer to 20+ hours to be practical.
The only tweaks I've applied are turning off unneeded items for synchronization, and cleaning up the home screen (the only Internet-related widget I'm using is a weather display).
I've decided against a couple of tweaks based on the usage meter I asked about above -- It seems pointless to dim the screen when the entire display is only using 10% (especially since I can't retain automatic brightness adjustment if I do). Likewise the live wallpaper doesn't seem to be making much of a difference at the moment.
I'm not really sure how to characterize my usage, other than moderate. There were a handful of ten to twenty minute sessions in the web browser and games. I downloaded and installed less than half a dozen apps. I didn't listen to music, or receive any calls. WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS are off (Google location service is on).
I'll update this thread as I try various things throughout the week (slowly, because of the time I need to spend testing each solution). Any information would be appreciated.
2/15: Uptime for today: 15:14/4:00
2/16: Installed Watchdog. Haven't received any notifications from it yet. Uptime for today: 15:19/3:45.
2/17: 14:15/3:40. Unchecked "Enable always-on mobile data." Made about 15 minutes worth of calls (listed as 5% of battery usage). Overall, a big step backwards in terms of battery life
2/18: 15:45/3:00 (28%). I didn't play with the phone as much today, and as a result it lasted quite a bit longer.
2/19 - 2/20: No data for these days, as I turned the phone off and on throughout the day. Charge lasted the full day, with some left over.
2/21: Use has dropped off as the new toy status diminishes. Still playing plenty of Majesty and Angry Birds. Currently at 15:15/2:30, with 56% battery remaining. I also started enabling WiFi while within range of my home network, but I can't verify the impact that's had due to the change in use.
2/22: 14:15/3:15 (37%).
2/23: 14:45/3:15 (29%). One of the games I was trying went berserk (still listed as 21% battery usage at the end of the day). Otherwise acceptable performance.
2/24: 15:05/3:05 (31%). Battery dropped to 85% within the first hour of the morning, but overall life was pretty normal. Weird.
2/25: 14:55/2:50 (35%).
2/26: 15:00/1:15 (66%).
2/27: 11:35/1:15 (65%).
2/28: 12:00/2:00 (58%).
3/1: 14:30/1:30 (64%).
3/2: 11:30/1:30 (63%). Accidentally left the phone off all morning.
3/3: 14:00/2:15 (49%). Rechecked "Enable always-on mobile data."
3/7: 14:30/1:00 (76%). Clearly demonstrating that an unused phone doesn't run out of batteries (as fast).
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